Front Page Headline: Does Gotham Know Batman?
by Mellmo
Summary: Batman is about to face his worst nightmare, yet AGAIN. And he has to deal with a sly journalist trying to get a promotion. What he doesn't know is who she is and the lengths she may be willing to go to get her story. Includes Lime. BrucexOC. Spoilers. NOW HAS A SEQUEL!
1. First Page Headline

"I want you to do a big story for me this week." Came that very familiar and beautiful voice.

"A big one?" I replied, my eyes on him.

Grinning, he looked at me. "You'll like this one."

"I will, will I?" Leaning my elbows on my desk, I rested my head in the palm of my hands. "What's so amazing about this story you want me to do?"

"Well," he started in his dreamy voice. "I want you to do me…hold on." He looked at his cell phone that had just gone off.

My face blushed at little bit at the image that popped into my head. If only that sentence wasn't interrupted. I wish that WERE the sentence. All of the female staff would probably have thought the same thing. I mean, look at him. He shouldn't be allowed to look that good. I'm not sure he knows he's that handsome. That's why he's so sweet; he was done looking at his cell phone.

"Oh, I paused after a strange part in that sentence didn't I?" He cleared his throat. "I want you to do me…" He chuckled. "I want you, to first off not charge me for sexual harassment!"

Never I thought to myself.

He continued. "I want you to write me a story on Batman."

I nearly fell off my chair. I thought he had just asked me to write a story on Batman. I looked at him as if he had a little leprechaun dancing on his shoulders. I was getting a huge break.

"You want me to do a big story on Batman?" I swallowed. "Why?" Shocked, I continued. "I…I…I…just started recently on my new column."

He smiled. "Yes I know, but I see some potential in you to be a bigger journalist then most people here. And I'm not asking you either." His left eyebrow arched. " Don't make me regret it, okay?" He taped my desk. 'I want it by Monday, or no promotion!"

"A promotion! Really?" He had caught my interest. I waited for him to say more. I wanted him to compliment me again.

Supporting himself on my office doorframe, he winked at me. "Maybe." He said and then walked down the hall. I got up and ran after him.

"Wait!" I caught up. "What's the article suppose to be about though?" He turned around. "Just Batman?" I questioned him.

"Hopefully," He shook his index finger at me and smiled again. "You can figure that out once you get to work on it." He tabbed on someone's door hinting them to get back to work. "I want your column done too for Friday. Don't forget about that. You got the hook ups. With you writing that column, Gotham knows who to watch out for on the streets." With that, he did a fancy turn and continued waking up employees.

I nodded as I watched him walk down the hall to his office. He stopped to sign a sheet from his secretary and then closed his door behind him. I sighed in frustration and joy and shuffled back to my office. My laptop sat out on the desk. I starred at it from in my door way as it hummed quietly. All I could think of was that promotion heading my way. I was going to get it for sure.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Master Wayne?"

"What is it Alfred?"

"Breakfast sir." He said, placing the tray down.

"I'm not hungry." I pulled on my left sock and stood up.

Alfred frowned. "But sir, it's the most important meal of the day."

I smiled and turned to him. "Yes, but I'm not five anymore Alfred." Grabbing my jacket, I walked over to my keys. I swung the jacket around me and slipped my arms through one at a time.

"As you wish Master Wayne. It is there if you need it."

"Thank you Alfred." I told him as he bowed his head and left the room.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

I sat there tapping my pen on my note pad. I had five days to write the most important article of my life, about the most secretive figure known to Gotham City. And I still needed to finish writing my original assignment. In a city like Gotham, my column was very much appreciated. Criminals sprung up like a new litter of bunnies in this city. Now I had a new assignment. Nothing could come to me. Nobody ever got to talk to Batman, would I need a quote? I couldn't imagine him doing an interview. What could I write about with out a personal addition from the Batman himself? I realised what most people would want to know. It was so cliché and I knew my boss would find it elementary. I needed something new, exciting and though provoking. And then MAYBE I could start thinking about my article. Noticing the time, my stomach, as if clockwork began to grumble.

I put my note pad in my purse and pulled on my shoes. My keys jiggled as I hopped down the steps. I climbed into my 66' Ford Mustang and started the engine. It rumbled with pleasure and I pulled it out of the driveway. The city was quiet and I saw some families out for a walk before it got dark. The alleyways were full of scared want to be criminals and petty thieves. I revved the engine to get ahead of some pestering homeless folk. Pulling into the under ground parking lot, I looked for anything suspicious. All I heard was the dripping of the water drain a few feet away from where my car was sitting.

I got out and walked back towards the entrance of the underground. An old man walked by me. He wore a very nice jacket for what seemed to be a homeless man. I quickly jogged off as he smiled a toothless grin at me. The sun had gone down a bit more and the sky was a nice pink colour, with the moon slowly peaking through. I stopped at the corner of the trash filled street. I looked between a McDonalds on the corner beside me and a decent Italian restaurant across the street. Feeling like some pasta, I headed across the street to the Italian restaurant. It seemed like a nice quiet place to think up some good ideas for my Batman piece.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Master Wayne?"

I lifted my head and smiled. "Yes Alfred?" I waited for him to enter the room.

He made his way over beside my self-occupied chair. "Commissioner Gordan has turned on the skylight."

I turned my head to look at him. I got up and headed to the window of the pent house. The skylight shined bright in the clouds covering Gotham city. The sun had completely gone down and the moon was out. "He has. Something must have come up then." The adrenaline rushed though me as if it was my own blood. My head swerved quickly in Alfred's direction as he spoke.

"Batman heading out for the night then sir?" He asked as I ran past him.

I turned back around to face him. "Don't wait up Alfred."

Nodding, he replied, "I always do Master Wayne, I always do."


	2. Second Page Headline

I walked into the restaurant. It was well lit and very clean. The size was quite small, but they had found a nice way to set the tables. The food smelt good as I scoped the place. Approving the restaurant, I walked up to the front desk. The waitress welcomed me with a big smile and led me to a table. Walking past a tall plant I heard my name being called a few tables back.

I stopped and turned around to see my boss waving at me. Feeling incredibly awkward, yet obliged, I waved back with a friendly smile. Then he waved me over to him. Scared out of my mind, I walked up to the table, my waitress following me. He motioned me to sit down across from him.

"Are you sure?" I asked him before sitting.

"Yes," He nodded. "Sit down. Please."

I clumsily pulled out the chair and sat down. He smiled at me and I quickly smiled back. The waitress asked if I was eating with him.

"Oh umm, well…" I started awkwardly.

"Yes she is, if she wants." He helped me.

I looked back at the waitress. "Yes, I'm going to."

She nodded and gave me a menu to look at. I ordered a glass of water while I looked through the menu. I felt my boss watching me as he ate his appetizer. I looked up from the menu and flashed him a smile before raising it over my face again. I peeked over the top to see his reaction. He just chuckled and went back to eating.

"Do you know what's good here?" I asked him trying to break the silence.

"The pasta's great. But I like the pizza the best." He told me. And I thanked him.

The waitress came back to take my order. I asked her if the Fettuccini Alfredo was any good. After a good review I ordered it and coke to drink. She wrote down my order and told me it would be 10 minutes. I watched her eyes as she checkout out my boss, who was taking sip of his drink. She walked away swiftly to the kitchen.

My boss cleared his throat. "No work talk tonight." He began. "We're just two people having dinner together."

Slightly disappointed I couldn't ask any questions on the article, and extremely glad we didn't have to randomly bring up work for a subject, I agreed.

"So, why'd you come out for dinner alone?" He asked me. "I would think you'd have a date." Then he got a shocked look on his face. "I'm sorry." He apologized.

"For what?" I asked him confused.

"That was incredibly rude of me to call you over here. What if you did have a date? I'm really sorry." He blushed.

"It's okay. I wouldn't have sat with you if I did." I laughed shyly.

He smiled his big smile. It was enough to stop my heart. His blue eyes glimmered a bit in the light. I pictured him on the beach with lots of sunlight. I wasn't sure which scenario I wanted to be in, the real one or with him on a beach. Clearing my throat, I took another sip of my water. I had never felt so frightened in my whole entire life.

"Garlic bread?" He offered me.

"Oh no thank you. It doesn't mix well with me."

"That's to bad." He sympathised. "So why are you here alone then?"

I looked up at him. "I came here to eat some food and brainstorm for the thing we are not suppose to mention." I watched him smirk. "But it's nice to have some company now."

He nodded his head. My waitress came up to our table with my food. It sat in a beautifully decorated bowl. I thanked her for the service and she checked out my boss again. Shaking my head slightly, I tried not to chuckle. I forced myself to open up a bit to him and not be so nervous. He was actually very easy to talk too and was a good listener. Part of me wished it were a date.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I walked over to the skylight. There was another figure standing on the other side. I slowly came around the edge to where he was standing.

"What's going on?" I said deeply.

He jumped and turned around quickly at the suddenness to my voice.

"I never know when you get here." He laughed.

I stayed silent.

"We have some trouble." Gordan began.

I crossed my arms. "Like?"

"You're not going to like this." He shook his head in grief. "You aren't going to like this at all."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Is it a split bill?" Asked the waitress.

I hadn't thought of that. "Yes it is." I said.

He held up his hand. "No, no, no. I'm paying."

"But, you don't have to you know. I can pay for me." I scampered.

He gave me a stern look like he does at work when he tries to sound boss like. I backed off and let him pay for both dinners. I took the mint and popped it in my mouth as he pulled out his wallet. I stared at his hands as he moved them to grab his money. He slipped it in-between the bill case and put his wallet back in his pocket.

He stood up and tugged his black leather coat off his chair. I grabbed my purse off the floor and did the same. I hadn't thought about the moment after dinner where we parted ways. Did he walk me to my car? Or did I just say good-bye and leave? He put his arm out to direct me towards the door. I obeyed and pushed the door open. We both stepped out into the windy Gotham night. He popped the collar on his jacket to block the early spring wind. I was still wearing my winter coat that I left half zipped up.

'Where's you car?" He asked.

Glad he had asked, I told him it was in the underground parking lot across the street. He looked over and saw a few shady men walking around the entrance. They were whispering and watching the street suspiciously. He looked back at me with concern.

"I don't want you going in there." He told me.

"Oh." I said uneasily. "Will you walk me to my car then Ryan?"

"No." He shook his head.

I shifted my body in his direction. "What?"

He folded his arms to block the cold. "I don't want me to go in there either." He smiled at me teasingly. "Want to…come to my place for a bit…until they're gone?"

Yes. Yes, yes I do. I would love too. I wanted to grab him and run to his place. But I had to keep my composure. I wasn't sure if it was the best idea. He had offered me to go, I wasn't throwing self into my boss's house. Looking over at the men in front the underground, I realised my best bet was to stay way.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." I answered finally.

His smile got large. "Okay, awesome. I live right around the corner."

He pointed to the large building towering over the little street. It was all glass and reflected the moonlight. We started to walk down the sidewalk. We ran when we came to an alley way filled with riff-raff. We crossed the street as we approached a heated drug deal. The building lobby lit up the road in front of it with it's many lights. We walked into the building and headed to the elevator. It was on its way up from the basement to the ground floor. It opened and we stepped in. Inside was an old man in a suit and coat with his hat in his hands. Ryan nodded at him and said hello. I smiled at him as he greeted us back with a pleasant, "Good evening" in his British accent.

We got off alone on the second highest floor. Ryan pulled out his keys and put them into the door across from the elevator. He stepped in and held the door open for me. His apartment was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. I stood in the entrance way as he took my coat. His black leather couches faced the large plasma screen television hanging on the wall. He had clean white walls and cherry red hardwood flooring. The ceiling was about 12 feet high and a huge chandelier hung down from it over his dinning room table.

"That was a bitch to get up there." He told me as I stared up at it.

"I would think so." I laughed.

He stood beside me. "I get scared when ever Mr. Wayne has a party up in his pent house, that it will fall off."

I looked at him. "Bruce Wayne lives above you?"

"Yeah. In the Pent House." He walked over to his kitchen. He flipped the lights on and continued. "That was his butler, Alfred, in the elevator with us." He opened a cupboard. "You want a drink or anything?"

I followed him into the kitchen. "Oh no, I'm fine thanks."

We sat on his couch and he turned on the television. The picture quality was incredible. I turned to look at him. He was staring at the television as he flipped through the channels. I saw him start to notice that I was watching him. I looked back at the television. He had stopped on the news. We listened to all the crimes going on in Gotham. They had slowed down recently, but the news report talked about a high rise in the crime rate. I asked him if it was okay to put my feet on the couch. He said he didn't care so I folded my legs up beside me. I fidgeted with my bracelet. Ryan cleared his throat. He asked me if I wanted to watch anything and I said no. He turned off the television and placed the remotes on the glass coffee table in front of us. He twisted his body so he was facing me. He sat there crossed legged. I laughed nervously.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I stormed into my pent house and went straight to my room. I passed Alfred as he went to greet me. The door slammed behind me as I pulled off the mask. My face burned with anger. I sat down and took the mask in my hands. I threw it on the floor in front of me. I could not believe this was happening. All the work I had done was now useless. What was the point in saving Gotham if it just got worse the more I helped?

"Everything okay Master Wayne?" Came Alfred's voice in my doorway. "Is Batman okay sir?"

"No, I am not okay, and batman is not okay." I said angrily.

Alfred entered my room carefully. 'Do you wish to explain Master Wayne?"

"Batman worked so hard to clean up Gotham. I worked so hard to clean up Gotham. I didn't do it so the police could go more corrupt and free the villains I bring to them!" I spat.

"What do you mean sir?"

I leaned over and put my head in my hands.

"Batman's problems are his own. Bruce Wayne's life stays separate."

"I know Alfred. Don't you think I have learned that by now!" I yelled.

Alfred stayed calm. "You have to get over the anger and rage Master Wayne. Let Batman deal with it. Further more let Batman use it."

I shook my head. 'I can't do it Alfred. I can't. I have to break my rule. That's the only way."

"The only way to what Master Wayne? Killing does not bring justice. There will always be another one to kill. You're rule is the one thing that separates you from them. You let it go, Batman will fall. You will fall Master Wayne."

"Then how should I do it then Alfred? Let him run loose again." I shook as I spoke. "I can take care of the others. But not him, not again."

"Can't take care of who?"

"Joker."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I sat there not knowing what to do. We were having really in-depth conversations. Though all I could think about was the fact that he was my boss. I had no idea what people at work would think of me if they found out about this. Ryan was so nice though and I really wanted to think of him as a friend.

"Can I ask you something?" He fished.

"Sure."

"Are you still worrying about me being your boss?"

I paused. "Umm. A bit yes."

He nodded his head. "Okay." He looked at me and laughed. "Well stop it."

"Do you still think of me as an employee?" I joked.

"I've never wanted to." He said.

"Oh really?" I joked again. He kept giving me a serious face. "You aren't joking are you?"

He looked around the room avoiding my eyes. "No, I'm not joking." He took a deep breath. "Now this is awkward."

"Well…" I began quietly. "I think I can try and think of you as a person."

'Oh so I'm not just you're boss, now I'm not even human." He tried to hide a smile.

"That's not what I meant!" I defended myself laughing.

"You're just different then most girls. That's all." He said.

I blushed. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. My whole body froze. I wanted to pinch myself to make sure it was the really thing and not one of my fantasies. No matter how wrong I knew this was, I just couldn't come to pull myself away. His lips were warm against my own. I put my hands on his cheeks as we kissed.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I woke up and stared at the ceiling. I had to put this behind me. Let Batman deal with it. Right now I had to go to an important meeting at Wayne Enterprise's. Alfred came in to my room to wake me up. I waved to him that I was awake and he closed the door. I climbed out of bed and headed to the bathroom. I showered and shaved. Once I was dressed in my suit, I put my shoes on and left my room.

"Breakfast Master Wayne?" Alfred tried.

"No. I have to get to work." I rushed.

"Very well. I have to go to the supermarket. I will drive you."

I smiled. "Thank you Alfred." I fixed my tie. "Big deal closing today."

"I would presume so sir." He chuckled.

I left the pent house with Alfred behind me. I stepped into the elevator and pressed the ground floor button. We went down one floor before the elevator stopped. The door opened and a young woman stepped inside. She was about 5'7 and slender. Her make up was smudged a bit and her brown hair was tied back loosely. She didn't look at us. She seemed to be in a daze.

"Good morning miss." Alfred said to her.

She jumped a bit and turned to see him standing there. "Oh hello again." She greeted him.

I nodded my head in the direction and pierced a smile as she looked over to me. I saw hre face loose all expression. She quietly said "hello" and went back to starring ahead of her. I looked over at Alfred who just stood there contently. The young women lifted her hands to cover her face for a second before putting them down.

"I'm Alfred miss." He put out his hand for her to shake.

She turned back around to face us.

"Oh, yes, Ryan told me." She shook his hand. "I'm Morgan."

I put out my hand. "I'm Bruce." She shook it.

"You known Mr. Hunter for long Miss?" Alfred asked her.

"You could say that." She forced her self to say.

I looked at her. "You're boyfriend?" I smirked.

She looked at me funny. "No." She replied simply.

I turned to Alfred, who looked back at me. I recalled last night while I lied in bed trying to fall asleep. All I could hear were faint moans coming from down below.

"So that wasn't you guys last night then?" I teased.

"Excuse me?" She gasped.

"I live on top on him. You didn't think I couldn't hear you did you?" I explained to her.

"Oh my!" She turned red. "I am terribly sorry Mr. Wayne."

I looked at Alfred again, and then back to her. "It's alright. So not you're boyfriend?"

'No he's not." She swallowed loudly.

I raised my eyebrow at her. She turned back towards the elevator door.

"If you must know Mr. Wayne. He is my boss." She continued to seem dazed.

I began to laugh slightly. She turned to glare at me. Alfred cleared his throat to tell me to leave it be. I apologized to her and held back my laughs. She turned to me again.

"What are your opinions about Batman Mr. Wayne?" She questioned.

I just starred at her. "I…" I started. "I think that he is misunderstood."

She nodded as I said that.

"That's very true." She agreed, still nodding.

The elevator door opened and she stepped out. She said good-bye as the elevator doors closed. Alfred and I kept going down to the under ground. Alfred lectured me on things to not ask a woman. I laughed as he continued on. I told him I would remember everything he said. He pretended to believe me.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I sat in my car before starting it to pull out of the underground. Bruce Wayne had to be the rudest, most self centered, handsome man I had ever met. I had heard about his many appearances with several women on hand and his wild antics. I never thought I would actually meet him. His idea about Batman was a good one though. I could do the article on how people don't understand the real deal about Batman. If only I could find out more about Batman. I had to get close to him some how. If only I had a source, or a way to actually meet him. Maybe just to meet him for a second.


	3. Third Page Headline

**YAY! Third chapter already! XD. I thank you guys for all your visits. Remember to review me so i can make improvements in my next chapters! XD. Or just rate my story or something. Check back for updates all the time. Thanks again. Enjoy. **

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No, I told myself. I would not let anyone find out about last night. I would be ruined if I ever did. I didn't even let him know I left. I bet he hates me now. How can I ever face him again? I had a job that I loved, and I went a ruined it! I should forget the Batman article and write an advice piece on things NOT to do when you are becoming successful in life. Number one; don't sit down at your boss's table. Number two; don't go home with him, no matter how innocent the reason is. Number Three; DO NOT SLEEP WITH HIM!

I paced around my office, the pencil in my right hand tapping my left. I held it up to my face; the eraser leaning against my bottom lip. I kept checking to see if he had shown up yet or not. I needed to escape if he happened to come down the hall to my office. The only resort I had would be to hide under my desk, unless I jumped out my window. I figured jumping from the 10th floor really wasn't my best idea yet. Though lately, I didn't have a very good track record in the department.

I felt my stomach drop to the center of the earth. There was a knocking on my door. I stood there franticly looking around. Hiding under my desk would seem immature and wouldn't help my situation any. Stomping my foot on the floor a few times in defeat, I made the walk of shame to the door. I opened it to see the face of Bruce Wayne. He smiled his cocky smile at me. I just stared at him. I didn't know whether to feel relieved or angry.

"Mr. Wayne." I said to him once I cleared my head.

"Bruce."

"Alright then." I mumbled as he let him self past me into my office.

He stood there in his expensive looking jeans and custom made leather jacket. He walked around my office before coming to stand in front of me. I pressed my lips together to form an awkward almost smile while I moved my eyes around the room.

"Nice office." He ran his fingers along my mahogany coloured desk.

"Thanks." I said stupidly. It must have been the size of his bathroom, hell, and half the size of his closet. "What brings you here?"

"Hmm." He had been looking at the pictures on my desk. "I wanted to know why you asked me about Batman in the elevator." He stopped on one picture. He picked it up and looked closer at it. "You know Commissioner Gordan?"

Forcing myself to forget that he was rudely looking at the personal photos on my desk, I nodded my head. "He's my dad."

Bruce's face lost all its bratty features. "I…but…aren't…" He didn't continue his sentence. He put the picture down. "Your last name is different."

"I took my mothers last name after the divorce." I said to him.

His brown eyes looked at me. "Oh." He replied.

All I did was ask his opinion on Batman. I didn't understand why that was so important. Really I wanted him and his ego out of my office as soon as possible. He sat down in my chair behind my desk. I opened my mouth to speak as he propped his feet up on the polished surface of the desk. I had never met such an arrogant man in my life. Applaud; I let out an angry invisible puff of smoke out of my nose.

"Get your god damn feet off my desk, and get your ass out of my chair!" I realised he had probably never been told what to do in his entire life. I cleared my throat to start over. "Mr. Wayne, I really would appreciate it if…" He interrupted me.

"If I got my god damn feet off your desk and my ass out of your chair?" He raised his left eyebrow and the left side of his mouth to form a crooked smile.

I was about to reply to this new act of arrogance, as there was another knock on the door. Fuming, I opened it with strength I didn't even know I had.

"YES!" I screamed in the person's face. I blinked and saw that it was Ryan.

"Umm." He backed away a foot. "Is this a bad time?"

I felt Bruce brush past me.

"Nope, I was just leaving." He looked at me, then at Ryan and winked.

I let out some more invisible smoke and glared at the back of his enormous head while he walked down the hall, flirting with the interns.

"What was that about?" Ryan said, making me stop watching Bruce charm a blonde stick figure.

"Nothing." I sighed and headed back into my office with Ryan following me.

I still hadn't found out why he came in here to ask me about my question. He must have figured out I worked for the newspaper if he came here. Obviously he would have, unless he was denser then I gave him credit for. And why did he care about my dad? My dad had never mentioned knowing Bruce Wayne before.

Ryan walked back over to my door and shut it. He looked through the blinds on my window beside my door to see who was around the office. After seeing that it was clear, he came over to my desk and sat in one of the chairs in front of it. I was already seated in my chair with my legs crossed. I was still tense from my brief encounter with Mr. Wayne. Ryan let out a deep breath before he opened his mouth to speak.

"About last night." He slowing formed the words with his mouth. My head began to buzz like a million bees were trying to get nectar out of my brain. " I really don't know what happened."

My heart fell a little in my chest. He didn't know what happened? Does that mean he regrets it too? I wanted to forget it had ever happened; yet I didn't want to have to let the thought go. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. If he thought nothing of it and just wanted to score, I was going to be extremely angry. But it he wanted something more, well, I didn't know how I would react.

"What do you mean?" I stared at him, puzzled.

His beautiful blue eyes had lost their sparkle they had last night. He ran his hand though his dirty blonde hair. He fumbled with his fingers a bit before responding to my question.

"I just…didn't really think about the work factor."

"Oh trust me, I didn't fully think about it either." I shook my head back and forth repeatedly.

He laughed slightly at my comment. He still looked stressed as he sat in the chair.

"So…do you like…want to pretend it never happened? I totally understand if you do. I mean if you just want to have a business relationship with me, that's…" He paused and played with his tie. "That's fine with me I guess."

I breathed in while he gave me slight puppy dog eyes. Honestly, a few days ago I would have married the man in a heartbeat. But now I had faced the reality of a boss and an employee relationship. It was nothing like my fantasies. He sat there looking at his shoes while I took my time replying. I realised I should tell him what I was thinking.

"Ryan," I sighed.

He looked up at me with big eyes. "Yes?"

"I don't think…people at work would think I…my situation is a bit different then yours." I stuttered.

He eyebrows crunched together at the bottom of his forehead.

"So what if they think you wormed you're way for a promotion, once you do that article, they will see that you deserved it." He declared to me.

"I don't want you to just hand me a silver platter with a promotion on it! I want to work for it. I want to get my clothes dirty and hunt for it! I can't be one of those girls who do nothing to get up the business ladder! That's not me Ryan." I stared to him.

He chuckled. "I know you aren't one of those girls. If you want to work for it, then you can. I will also start treating you like an employee again, if you want too."

It was that part I didn't want to happen. I didn't want to be just another employee. I wanted his to think I was special, and to want me.

"I don't…want you to treat me like another employee." I murmured, glancing up at him quickly from my strong gaze on my pencil.

"So…then do you want to maybe, have dinner with me tonight then?" He asked. He looked like he was in junior high wanting to take me to a dance.

I couldn't help myself from smiling at him and his request. "Sure." I saw the sparkle take over his gorgeous eyes again.

I couldn't refuse. I also couldn't help but think about Bruce's visit. I didn't know if he was just having some fun bothering me some more, or if he really meant what he said. The question I had asked him was just a simple opinion piece for my article, something to point me in the right direction. I still needed to know how to understand the real Batman. I still had to fine some decent sources to help me.

After Ryan left, I opened my laptop to begin researching Batman. I got many hate sites stating that he was a menace to society. Then there were the few that talked about him being a hero. There were no sites of anyone posting personal information on him. I continued to search the Internet anyways. I came upon on a site that caught my interest. It stated random facts about him. None that said personal things, they merely talked about his habits when he made his appearances.

_Batman only comes out at night, unless in a safe, secretive place._

_He had his tumbler, before it was destroyed. He was then seen with a thick-wheeled motorcycle._

_He disappears as fast as he appears._

_His voice is a deep husk._

_He doesn't seem to like people._

I read the last line. "Shit…" I closed my laptop. "No interview I guess."

I got an idea. I reopened my laptop. I went to my home page and typed in Bruce Wayne. I stopped my finger above the enter button. I moved my finger up to the backspace button and slowly deleted the letters. I figured if I were to Google him, it would be extremely creepy.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I clicked on my Internet browser on my laptop. It popped up and I put the curser on the text bar. I typed in Morgan Hilroy. I hit enter and scanned the results. Alfred entered the pent house.

"Home early Master Wayne?"

"You didn't expect me to stay there all day did you Alfred?" I said as I continued to scan the screen.

"I guess not sir." He smiled. "Researching for something?"

I clicked on a website. "Yeah. That girl in the elevator."

Alfred placed his scarf on the coat rack and looked over to me sitting on the couch. "You are looking up the miss that we met in the elevator." He walked towards the kitchen.

"Yes." I called to him as he began to take out pots and pans.

He came back out of the kitchen and stood in my view. "Now, sir, don't you find that a little creepy?"

I kept reading the paragraph that had showed up on the webpage. "No." I closed the browser. "There's nothing on her anyways." I got up and headed to the kitchen as Alfred shuffled back though the doorway. "Did you know she's Gordan's daughter?"

He stood up from behind the stainless steel refrigerator door. "No I did not Master Wayne." He placed some eggs on the counter. "How did you find that out?"

"I went to her office to day." I eyed the eggs. "Egg's again Alfred? I had a fried egg sandwich yesterday."

He looked at the eggs spinning on the counter. "That you did sir, that you did." He took them off the counter and put them back in the fridge.

"She's a journalist." I informed him.

"Is she?" He half listened.

"Yeah. Or she should be, if she works at the newspaper building."

"You would think so Master Wayne." Alfred began cutting up some chicken breasts.

I walked out of the kitchen. I muttered to myself, "Gordan's daughter."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I realised I still had to finish my original article for my criminal column for tomorrow. I picked up the phone and dialled the number. I waited for it to be answered. It rang for several seconds before I heard a hello on the other end of the line.

"Hi daddy." I said in to the receiver.

"Oh hi honey." He greeted me. "How are you?"

I sighed. "Big article to do." I thought for a moment. "Do you know Bruce Wayne?"

"I've met him a few times, first when he was young. I had recently started out on the force. His parents had just been murdered. Why do you ask Morgan?"

"Oh, he was just surprise when he found out I was your daughter. I thought you two might know each other." I explained.

"Oh, I see." He paused. "So what's the big article one?"

I didn't want to get into it but I told him anyways.

"Batman you say?"

"Yeah, but I don't have any sources or anything to get information on him." I complained. He was silent on the other end. I waited a few seconds. "Hello?"

"Oh sorry honey. That's too uh bad."

I went back to why I had called him. "So do you have any new updates for me on criminals to watch out for?"

"Only one to large for the Gotham citizens."

"Who?" I gasped at the amazing find.

"I'm afraid that's too classified for even you to know." He admitted solemnly.

"But…please tell me!" I begged.

"Oh I'm sure you'll find out soon enough, along with the rest of Gotham." He sounded stressed and tired.

"Why won't you tell me?"

"I don't want to tempt you to post it in the paper. And…" He stopped. " I have had a special request to keep it quiet from the public. Seeing as the criminal will feed off the attention he gets again. I have told you to much already."

I went to beg again, but respected his wishes. I said goodbye and hung up the phone. Disappointed, I began to finish up my article with what I had. I printed it off and went to submit it to Ryan for proofing. I knocked on his office door. He called to come in from inside the room. I opened the door.

"I have my usual article done for tomorrow."

"Oh okay great." He smiled at me.

I rested my weight on my left hip. "My dad said that there was a new criminal, but it was classified."

"New?"

"Well it sounded like he had been around before." I shifted hips. "That he would feed off the attention again."

"Well look into it then." He suggested.

I stated my case to him. "I can't get anything out of my father."

He leaned forward on his desk. "You can have more then one source you know."


	4. Fourth Page Headline

**Okay. So I was on a break for awhile while I went on a trip. It is now 1:25 in the morning and I just finished writing my fourth chapter. It's short, I know gosh lol trust me I know. That's all I could do. I'm tired still. I spent all day trying to get motivation. Then I had lots of interuptions. Grr. So here you are. I will make another one soon. Maybe one that actually goes somewhere. I have no idea how I will do so, but I will try. Lol. **

* * *

I swung down onto the porch railing. I starred into the window. He saw me and excused himself from the table. The door opened and Commissioner Gordon stepped out. I squatted on the railing, waiting for him to talk.

"It's not safe for you to be hanging around my house." He spoke in a hushed tone. "You…" He turned to look in the window. "You have to leave right now."

"Why?"

He hesitated. "Because, you shouldn't be here."

"Why?"

The front door began to slowly open.

"Daddy, who you talking too?"

Gordon began to panic. He looked at the door and saw his daughter come around the side. He looked back to where Batman had been crouching. He released his breath.

"Daddy?" She asked again.

"Just someone at the station Morgan." He lied.

She nodded. "Okay."

She tucked her chocolate brown hair behind her ears. Her expression was spectacle as her dad was coming up with excuses for his strange leave from the dinner table. I saw her glance around the porch. I slowly ducked my head below the opening of my hiding place. Her fierce dark brown eyes were still some how warm looking as she skimmed the outside of the house. She unfolded her arms and reached for the door back into the house. She held it open as Gordon followed her back inside to the dinner table.

I climbed back on to the deck. They took their places at the table and continued talking. Gordon looked up and saw me at the window. I stayed there trying to make him come back out side. He tried to tell me to go away with his eyes. I shook my head. I saw Morgan watching her dad like he was crazy. I tilted my head in her direction. He turned to see her giving him a worried look. He smiled at her as she looked over to the window.

I stepped out of her view. I went to look in the window again. All I saw was Gordon pulling to blinds together.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I HAD to get a start on my article. All I had was an introduction. The past three nights had been a bust. First I was at Ryan's, and then I went to dinner with him again, before I went home to try and work on my article. Not to mention I was at my dad's last night to have dinner there. All I wanted to do was have a nice home cooked meal and watch some television. Or maybe curl up with a good book. Not write some impossible article about Batman. I opened my laptop on my footstool. I began to re-read my introduction.

_Does the city of Gotham know the hero they have been so fortunate to have? Is there any truth to his dark reputation? Or is he really just trying to help us? These are the questions that arise when I think of Gotham's knowledge of Batman. I think of a city that doesn't know who is trying to help them. _

I groaned. I had been staring at that paragraph all day. The article wasn't even that long. If I had any facts I could write it in less then an hour. I didn't want to BS my way through the article and ramble on to fill up the space. I put a chip in my mouth and tried to type some more for the article.

_People who live in Gotham hear the name Batman and panic. Those people are mostly the criminals who reside in Gotham's alleyways and ghettos. When other people hear the name Batman, they moan and brush him aside. There are only a few Gotham citizens who actually feel he is helping them. _

_Many citizens have a misunderstanding about our caped crusader. They jump to conclusions too quickly, or they need someone to blame for their lives. After all the help he has given us, we still look down on him. Gotham is a cruel and harsh city. Any person who can risk they're lives to do what he does is truly a hero. He is some one who should be understood and appreciated._

_Who ever he may be the man is a caring human being who has been faced with extreme dilemmas. While others think he is a murder and nuisance, others think he just what Gotham needed. _

_People were shocked when I asked their opinions on Batman. They expected the article to be about bashing him. Most of them said that Gotham never needed him and that all he has done was cause trouble. I asked one individual who thought differently._

_"I think that he is misunderstood." Said billionaire Bruce Wayne._

I saved the article. I just needed an ending. My head was trying to think while I stared at the black font on the screen. Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne, such an arrogant man. I was so glad Ryan was the exact opposite. I don't think Bruce Wayne had a normal bone in his body.

_All Gotham can hope is that whether they support him or not, Batman will always be there to help. Maybe in the near future, Gotham will come to appreciate him. Gotham can only hope that they will keep their hero, whether they know it or not._

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I tried to figure out what the Joker could be planning this time. I wasn't even sure if he ever knew what he was doing in the first place. All I could do was wait until I got a sign of him. Until then I had to try my hardest to get a head of him. How do you get ahead of a man who doesn't know what he is going to do next?

I stopped at the intersection. My motorcycle engine roared. The light turned green and I sped ahead. I saw a familiar face crossing the street ahead of me as I came to another red light. Ryan flipped out his cell phone and began to have a very serious conversation. He glanced at his watch and quickened his step. He opened the door to the Café on the corner. I glanced in the window and saw Morgan sitting at a table with her laptop. The light turned green and I turned the corner. I parked my bike on the side of the street and hopped off.

The Café was slightly busy and smelt strongly of coffee and baked goods. I stood at the back of the line. Morgan handed Ryan a coffee as he sat down. I shuffled along in line, getting closer and closer to the counter. Morgan was laughing at a joke Ryan had made. Her smile was bright and her usually fierce brown eyes were relaxed.

"Oh my god!" I heard a woman say as she came in to line behind me. "It's Bruce Wayne." She looked at her friend and squealed quietly.

"Yes. I'm Bruce Wayne." I turned around to see them. They're faces went pale. "How about I buy you ladies some coffees?"

They giggled and peeked at each other. I smirk and ordered three regular coffees. I glanced over to Morgan and saw her and Ryan playing footsies under the table. The two girls were still giggling with each other behind me. I handed them their coffees and put my arms around their shoulders and lead them to a table. Morgan looked up and saw the two girls hanging off of me. I saw her roll her eyes and go back to talking to Ryan.

……………………………………………………………………………………………...

I couldn't believe that Bruce Wayne was here in the same Café as me. In all the places he could have chose to go, he came here. That jerk was ruining my coffee date with Ryan. All I could hear was those two annoying girls giggling as he tells them billionaire stories. He walked in here like a king.

"Everything okay?"

I smiled. "Yeah. Just Mr. Wayne over there. He's not my favourite person in the world."

Ryan laughed. "Yeah. I know what you mean." I raised an eyebrow at his comment. "I can find his big headed at times."

"At times?" I chuckled.

I closed my laptop and leaned over to kiss Ryan on the lips. He smiled and held my hand. The giggly girls sitting with Bruce ruined the moment. I let out a frustrated sigh. Ryan looked over to the table.

"He keeps looking over here you know." Ryan pointed out.

I looked over at Bruce. "Really?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said.

I got up and walked over to the table where the two girls and Bruce were. The two girls gave me dirty looks as I stood there. I gave them both dirtier looks, watching them shrug me off. Bruce smiled wide.

"Hey, it's you again!" He bellowed in the café.

"Yes it's me again." He continued to grin. "I was just wondering why you keep staring at Ryan and I?"

"I thought he wasn't your boyfriend." He played.

"That's none of your business."

He looked at the girls. "I think you two should go now."

"But Brucey!" They both whined at the same time.

"Don't even bother Bruce." I said as the girls began to stand up. "I wasn't here for a conversation." I walked back to my table and sat down across from Ryan.

"How'd that go?" Ryan asked.

"I hate that man." I snapped.

Ryan laughed nervously. "He's coming up to the table."

"He's what?"

Ryan gritted his teeth and repeated what he had said before. "He's coming up to the table."

A chair slid up against the side of the table. I closed my eyes, hoping it wasn't really happening. I opened them to see him sitting there. I looked at Ryan, who just smiled weakly. Bruce took a sip of my coffee. My eyes got wide with anger.

"That's my coffee." I said through my teeth.

"Damn good too. What kind is this?" He took another sip.

"If you don't mind Mr. Wayne. I actually work for my money to buy that coffee." I snarled.

"Really?" He questioned me. "You know, you really have a problem with your possessions."

I looked at Ryan for help. He finally spoke up.

"Mr. Wayne."

"Yes. Mr. Hunter?"

"Please stop drinking Morgan's coffee."

"Only if I don't have to hear you guys at night ever again." He shook his head is refusal. "I want my beauty sleep you know. I can't have anyone disturbing it."

I grabbed my coffee and tore off the lid. I stood up and dumped it on his head. I crumpled up the cup and threw it at him. I grabbed the rest of my muffin and dropped it in his hair. He just sat there in his chair mortified. Ryan's mouth was hanging open. I brushed a few stray hairs out of my face and smiled proudly. He wiped some coffee off his eyes.

"Morgan…"Ryan muttered.

I leaned down to Bruce's face. "You piss me off so much!" I looked in to his eyes. I didn't see the Bruce Wayne I had come to hate. He just stared at me shocked and stood up. He took some napkins with him as he left the café.

**...XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**How dare she. XD. But okay guys. I hate mushy parts. But there will be some in the near future. So yeah. Be warned. And have mercy on me! Lol. And I don't want to make Bruce seem like a jerk anymore, as funny as it seems. Well, see you next chapter. Please review, I will add a bunch more chapters more quickly if you do. Once again, thanks for all your veiws. Bye.**


	5. Fifth Page Headline

**Okay. So it's like 1 in the morning. My computer is being stubornly slow. But I still updated for all of you. I also gave you an almost 5,000 word chapter. This is a very big accoplishment for me. I am very proud of myself. It took my three days or maybe even four days to write it. Due to the fact that I got distracted, slept, and was mostly just to lazy to write it. But hey, I made up for it didn't I? Lol. I am writing more up here beacsue I am at 13,957 words. I am extremely super sticious, great spelling me. So i hope to break 14,000. XD. But yeah...I FIISHED IT! Now on with the next chapter. I will make it good I hope. If not you can through tomatoes at me, virtually of course. . I hope. Lol. Enjoy this one while I go to sleep now. XD. Review. Thanks.**

...

Alfred stared at me as I entered the penthouse covered in dried coffee. I gave him a forced smile and went in my room to change. He went back to his chores. I walked into the living room after a shower and sat on the couch. Alfred took this as the opportunity to badger me about my messy entrance.

"Most people drink coffee to wake up Master Wayne, not wear it."

I slowly raised my head in his direction. He waited for a come back. I looked back at the wall. He took a breath and tried again.

"Care to share what happened?"

I grunted and replied. "Ms. Hilroy."

"So you did not take my advice then sir?"

"What advice?"

He smiled and nodded. "I didn't think you were listening in the elevator."

I sat up on the couch and rubbed my face with my hand. "She said I pissed her off Alfred."

"Well I would think so Master Wayne. She went and poured coffee on your head." He looked at my jacket on the side table near the front door. "And muffins sir."

"I don't think she likes Bruce Wayne."

"Which one sir?" He asked.

I looked at him and let a half grin slip out. "The billionaire play boy Alfred."

"Then try being the other Bruce Wayne." He gave me that familiar wisdom filled look before heading towards the kitchen.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I stormed around my office. Bruce Wayne was such a prick. I wish I had got a large coffee instead of a small. I wish I hadn't wasted my muffin on him. I was getting hungry again. He wasn't helping my stress levels either. With these multiple articles I had to write now, he was the last thing I needed. Unless he could help me with finding out whom this big criminal was, though I doubted it. He had already helped me enough with the Batman article. I had finally finished it and was ready to hand it into Ryan.

I walked down the hall to Ryan's office. I knocked on the door. He yelled to come in. I stepped in through his door. He looked up at me and smiled. I grinned back. I waved the Batman article that I had just print off in the air. He raised his eyebrows.

"Done?"

"Yep." I walked over to his desk and placed it in his hands.

"Alright. I will read it and get back to you about it." He placed it beside the pile of other articles he had to read. "I'll read it first though, before all the others." He said with a cheeky smile.

I leaned down over his desk and kissed him. He kissed me back and told me he would read it right away. I nodded and smugly left his office. I walked down the hall to my own office and closed the door. I was nervous but excited for him to read it. I began to pace while I waited for his reaction. The phone rang on my desk. I shuffled over to it and answered it.

"Hello, Ms. Hilroy." I greeted the person on the other end of the line.

"My office now please." Ryan said stiffly and then hung up.

I placed the receiver slowly back on the phone. He didn't sound impressed at all. Why didn't he sound impressed at all? I made it sloth-like down the hall once more. I knocked on his door. He actually got up and opened it him self.

"Sit." He said to me as I walked past him through the door.

I sat down in one of the brown leather chairs in front of his desk. He closed his office door behind him and sat back down in his worn in chair. I waited for him to speak. He just sat there looking like he was thinking of what to say to me.

"I'm not your boyfriend right now."

I swallowed. "Okay." This was going to be bad. I could tell.

"That was NOT what I was looking for." I went to speak but he held up his hand. "I know, I didn't give you much to work with." His blue eyes flashed me an ice stare as I half rolled my eyes in agreement. "But," he continued, "I thought you could make something better of it." He tossed the article on his desk. "That's not a promotion."

"Fair enough." I swallowed back tears.

"You aren't going to try anything?"

"You are my boss right now. That was the agreement wasn't it?" I swallowed back more tears. "I will try harder if you give me a second chance. But you don't have to."

He kept his icy eyes on me. "You have another week. Or I'm taking you off the article."

The tears began to get stronger. "Thank you." I whispered as I fought back the tears. I got up and left the once warm feeling office.

I sat behind my desk staring at my pictures. There was a light taping on my door.

"I'm busy." I said.

The door opened.

"I SAID…"

"You're not busy." Ryan said as he stepped into the office. "I'm your boyfriend now." He chuckled softly. "This alter ego thing is hard."

I just looked up at him without smiling. He came beside my chair and sat on my desk in front of me. I watched my feet as I spun myself slightly in my chair. He took his foot and stopped the chair. I pushed harder with my foot, and he tensed his leg. I gave up and raised my head.

"I made you an appointment at a spa." He told me.

"Why?" I said harshly.

"Because I want you to go."

"I don't go to spas thanks." I brushed him off.

"You don't go to spas? What girl doesn't go to spas?"

"This one." I said as I began to sort out some papers on my desk.

"That's quite odd isn't it?" He mumbled quietly.

I sorted the same papers again. "No."

He placed his hand on the stack of paper as I went to reshuffled it. I put it down and folded my hands on my lap. He nodded his thanks and removed his hand from the pile.

"There is no way you are making me got to a spa where strangers touch me and my body." I said to him firmly, folding my arms in front of my chest.

Half an hour later I was standing out side the entrance of a hotel. I had to go in there and sign into the spa. The spa, where people would touch me and my body. They would touch my feet, my back, my legs, my face, and my arms. I hated spas. I hated people I didn't know touching me. I wasn't getting all rapped up in a towel so some stranger can massage me. No way.

I stepped in the lobby. It was huge. This must have been a five star hotel. I saw the spa entrance at the other side of the lobby. I began to make my way over there. Then I saw him. Bruce Wayne was standing right in front of the entrance to the spa. I froze instantly at the sight of him. I looked around for a hiding place. I saw a pillar a few feet away from me. I quickly tip toed my way over to it. I watched him for a few seconds, hoping that he would go away. Why was he here!

He stood there talking to another man in a suit. I had never seen him look so professional. He must have said something funny because the other man was laughing. He laughed the way only a rich man would laugh. I half expected to see a brandy in his left hand. I slowly crept out from behind the pillar. I scurried along the golden tiled wall. I followed crowds of people until I was almost outside the entrance. The man Bruce had been talking to turned and left. Oh no. Please don't turn around I begged. I have no where to hide. I placed one foot forward as slowly as I could with out looking strange.

"Morgan."

Damn it.

"Umm, Hello." I said awkwardly.

"What brings you here?" He asked me.

"Spa…" I squeaked.

"Oh yes. It's a very good spa." He nodded.

I gave him a weird look.

"I own the hotel."

"Oh!" I coughed. "Well isn't that perfect."

He raised an eyebrow and smiled. I fiddled with my fingers.

"I'm sorry…about this morning." I forced myself to say.

"This morning…oh, you mean when you dumped your coffee on my head?"

"Yes." I started turning red.

"And your muffin too?" He added.

"Yes." I began turning redder.

"And then you threw your coffee cup at me?"

"OKAY!" I hissed. "I said I was sorry."

He smirked. "I'm sorry too."

"Sorry for what?" I gave him a puzzled look.

He undid the button on his suit jacket and put his hands in his pant pockets. I never thought a spa would seem so inviting in my life. If only I could turn and run in there, and find some mud bath to hide under.

"I must apologize for my behaviour. It was rude. And I would like you to know that I am not really like that." He waited for my reply.

"Oh." That was all I could say.

"It's the image I have. The rich people love it. For some reason most girls find it attractive. But you don't."

I rolled my eyes for the second time today in agreement.

"I'm not like that, I swear. So should we have a fresh start then?" He put out his right hand.

He could have been completely pulling one over on me. The only thing that made me shake his hand was the honesty in his dark brown eyes. He left me speechless. This time it wasn't from anger, but from something else. He left towards the front doors of the hotel. I went up to the spa check in desk. They gave me some towels and sent me into a room.

The walls were painted burgundy and there were gold accents through out the room. I saw a massage table in the middle of the floor. I didn't know what to do. The door opened and a good looking man stepped in.

"Oh." He said when he looked at me. "You're still in your clothes."

"I beg your pardon!" I gave him a disgusted look.

"Well you're supposed to go to the change room first and get in your towel."

I looked down at the bundle I had received from the check in desk. I smiled and blushed as I ran past him to get to the door. I hurried off to the change room. I went inside and saw there was no privacy to change. I spotted at bathroom stall in the corner. I made a mad dash for it.

I walked back in the burgundy room. I saw the young man standing there waiting for me. He pointed to the table. I stared at it like he had just asked me to wrestle a fire breathing dragon. I climbed on to it and flipped on my stomach. He put some oils on his hands and went to rub them into my shoulders. I twitched at his touch. He pulled his hands back.

"I'm so sorry. I won't do it again." I murmured in the face cut out.

They could have at least put a nice picture on the floor or something instead of me staring at tiles the whole time. I guess you were supposed to close your eyes for this. I was too scared. He told me the massage was done. I was so happy. I was escorted off to my next event of torture. I walked into a room full of chairs with all of them occupied except one. I sat down in the chair. I was glad I had been given a robe. The lady told me to put my feet in the bucket of water near the bottom of the huge padded chair.

"Why?"

"For your pedicure miss." She said while giving me a strange look.

I looked around at the other ladies sitting next to me. "Oh." I smiled sheepishly.

I emerged my feet in the bucket of water and pull them out instantly. I let out a silent "Ouch." The lady let out a sigh and turned down the heat. I slipped my feet back in.

Half way through my pedicure a server came up to my chair. He had a tray of things in his hands. He told me they were from Mr. Bruce Wayne himself. I said thank you and he placed it down on the table next to my chair. The other ladies watched me and began to gossip with each other. I began to blush from the attention. I lifted up the tray lid and saw a coffee and a muffin. I laughed. Then I saw the note beside the coffee.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The doorbell to the pent house rang. Alfred headed to the door to open it.

"Ms. Hilroy, welcome." He greeted her.

"Hello Alfred." She stepped inside.

I walked up to the entrance area to see her. She smiled shyly at me. I told Alfred to take the night off and got see a movie. He gave me a stunned look and hesitated.

"Just want to let you have some time to yourself Alfred. We can take care of our selves." I chuckled.

"But Master Wayne…" He stalled.

I grabbed his jacket and pushed him out the door. "I insist Alfred."

I turned to Morgan. She stood there like a stone statue.

"Aren't you supposed to be relaxed after a trip to the spa?"

"Yes." She responded quietly.

She wandered into the pent house. She looked around in awe.

"This is so beautiful." She gasped.

"Do you want a tour?" I offered as she nodded her head up and down.

I showed her the simple white living room and the wide screen television. I showed her the kitchen and the library. She was left speechless in after every room. I thought her jaw was going to fall off at some point. We stopped in the music room. She ran over to the CDs. She gasped particularly loud once she got to one section of albums.

"You like Queen!" She whispered in shock.

"Yeah." I walked over to her. "You can put it in the stereo if you want."

She popped in the greatest hits album she had picked out.

"I just love Queen." She said excitedly. "You have all the albums!"

"You can borrow them if you want." I told her. She nodded. "Come on, We can finish the tour." She pointed to the stereo. "It plays through out the whole pent house." I assured her.

She followed me to the ball room of the pent house. Queen was blasting from the speakers. She began to sway to the music. She blushed and became quiet. I started to hum to the music. She giggled.

"What?" I smiled at her.

"Nothing, you're just more fun then I thought you would be." She blushed.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her to the middle of the ball room. "Dance with me?' I asked her. I raised her hand to my mouth and kissed it.

"Now Mr. Wayne, I do believe you are flirting with me."

"No!" I pretend to gasped and winked at her.

We began to dance to Bohemian Rhapsody. She laughed as I spun her around. I put my hand on her back and she flinched. I removed my hand.

"Sorry." She apologized. "I do that…"

"And you went to a spa?" I joked around with her.

"Oh don't worry, I did it there too." She flipped her hair back out of her face.

Her layered soft brown hair was half way down her back. She had the black tank top on that she had been wearing earlier at the hotel. Her well worn in light blue skinny jeans hugged her legs perfectly. Her face was heart shaped and her skin was flawless. She looked at me with those beautiful eyes. She smiled.

"You okay?" She asked me.

"Hmm, yeah I'm fine." I grinned and spun her around again.

"So, what's for dinner?" She quizzed me.

"Dinner?" I choked.

"Yeah you asked me here for dinner." She reminded me.

I realised I had sent Alfred away. She smiled at me as if she knew just what I was thinking.

"Take out is fine." She laughed.

I nodded my head; glad she had read my mind.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I wiped my mouth off with my napkin. I watched him scrape the bottom of his plate for the last of the Chinese noodles. I was having takeout with Bruce Wayne in his penthouse. I waited for him to finish. He wiped off his mouth and dropped the napkin on his plate beside his fork and knife.

"Yummy." I approved.

He got up and took my plates away. Freaked out that Bruce Wayne was clearly my dishes for me from the table, I finally thought to clean off the take out containers. I followed him into the kitchen. He pointed to the garbage and I shoved the boxes in it.

A good song came on the stereo. I grabbed his hand and dragged him to the ball room. The music sounded best in there. I let go of his hand and began dancing to the music. He laughed and took my hand as I shimmied along the floor. I began singing along to the music. 'We Will Rock You' rang out from the speakers this time. I was shocked at how much fun I was having with him. The nervousness from before was gone and I felt like I could be myself with him. He even looked like he was having fun too.

I put my arms around his neck and moved my head to the music. He put his hands on my hips. We both leaned in towards each other. We began to kiss. His lips were tender. I hoped kissing wasn't a bad thing after eating Chinese food.

The next thing I knew we were on the floor and he was on top of me. I felt my tank top begin to go up. I pulled his mouth harder against my own. I ran my fingers through his smooth hair. His hands were up my shirt now. I forced myself not to wince. I pulled his polo sweater off. I continued to kiss him as I grazed my fingers over his chest. It was firm and his abs were tough. He wiggled my shirt off over my head and began to kiss my neck.

I lifted my head off his chest and looked at the dark sky. "What time is it?" I asked him.

He kissed me before he replied. "It's nine o'clock, why?"

He ran his finger over my forehead, and brushed some hairs away from my eyes.

"I have to go see someone about help for an article." I told him, thinking that mentioning my father would be weird after sleeping with him.

"Alright, I've got some work to do too." He said, and kissed me again.

…………………………………………………………………………………………...

I lifted up the paper bat that was taped on the skylight. Gordon walked up to the side of it. I let it flop back down.

"That's so I can remove it once you show up." He defended.

"Aren't they going to notice some night soon?"

"Yes, but hopefully not for awhile." Gordon smiled weakly.

"Do you have any news?"

"Yes I do. That's why I called you down here." He fixed his glasses. "I couldn't have you around my house the other night. I'm sorry about that."

I said nothing.

"He is targeting the rich." Gordon informed me.

"Why? He doesn't want the money."

"That's what we don't understand. He wants to take some people hostage too."

"Why take them for hostage?" I questioned him.

"We are working as hard as we can."

"Half your men can't be trusted." I said angrily.

He leaned on the skylight and pulled off the paper bat. "We have kept them out of the force. They are being watched and have been questioned many times."

I didn't say a word.

"We think he may want ransoms."

"He doesn't want money."

"We know that." Gordon rubbed his eyes. "That's what we don't get."

Before either of us could react the door to the roof opened. Gordon spun around to see Morgan's eyes get wide. She saw me standing there. For some reason I couldn't move. I hadn't thought of disappearing. Why hadn't I run off yet? All I could do was watch her.

"You lied to me!" she said to her father, still in awe.

"Honey, I didn't want you to ask me any favours."

"I nearly lost my promotion because I couldn't find a way to get close to him!" She spat at him.

"I'm sorry." Gordon managed to say.

I finally slipped away before they had looked over to me. I had to make sure not to get caught like that again. Especially by her if I couldn't focus enough to escape.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I quickly hopped down the steps of the police station and ran around my car to the driver's seat. I started the engine as my dad raced down the stairs behind me. I couldn't believe he had known Batman this whole time. He knew I wanted that promotion so bad. I slammed on the breaks for a red light. I saw my dad standing in front of the station in defeat through my rear-view mirror.

I drove for awhile until I got to my house. I parked my car in the garage and entered my mud room. I took off my shoes and my coat. I heard a noise come from the inside of my house. I left the mudroom and walked into the front door entrance of my house. I decided to leave the lights off as I slowly crept up my first level of stairs. Once on the main level of my house, I step into my kitchen and felt like my head exploded. The next thing I knew everything went pitch black as I fell to the ground.

……………………………………………………………………………………………...

"Alfred!" I called as I walked around my penthouse after just waking up. I wandered into the kitchen to see if he might be in there making breakfast. The place looked like it had since the night before. I looked in the bathrooms and the library. His bed was perfectly made and his room was tidy. "He hasn't come back yet?" I thought to myself out loud.

I sat down on the couch and turned on the news. The breaking news banner flashed across the screen and they stopped reading the previous story. The news anchor seemed very concern as she got ready to read the new report.

"There seems to be a hostage taking in Gotham City. We got a letter from the hostage takers. They say that they want a ransom of 500 million dollars from…" She stopped reading the monitor. I sat on the edge of the white couch waiting for her to continue. "…from Bruce Wayne." I dropped the remote. "More breaking news! We have a video from the hostage takers." They switch to the hostage takers video.

"Hello again Gotham." My head reeled when I heard the voice.

The camera swung around to show the face of the voice. The Joker laughed excitedly. The camera swung back around to show the two hostages. The first hostage was a man in a black suit. The camera zoomed into to show Alfred. He was tied to a chair with his mouth taped shut.

I cradled my head in my hands and let out a frustrated yell. I looked back up to the screen in time to see the second hostage. She was still unconscious in the chair with her hair in front of her face. I was hoping it wasn't who I thought it was. The camera went back to focusing on Joker.

"Now," He said licking his lips. "You listen Mr. Wayne, and you listen good." He laughed and licked his lips again. "Your butler here and your little friend, Commissioners daughter, they don't have too long." He laughed again. "I am not a patient man Mr. Wayne." He swung the camera back to the hostages. "250 million each by midnight." He laughed again before the camera shut off.

I sat on the couch with my face covered by my hands. Why me? Did he know I was Batman? Where did I mess up? There was a frantic knocking on my door. It took me a while to notice. When I finally did hear it I got up and headed over to the door. I opened it to see Ryan standing there. He barged in past me into my penthouse.

"Why did he take Morgan?" He yelled at me.

I folded my arms. "I don't know."

"She hates you!" He raved.

I decided to keep my response to myself.

"You two barely know each other!" He went on.

Again I said nothing.

"The last thing I saw of her was her pouting as I forced her to take a nice relaxing afternoon at the spa."

"You forced her?"

"Yeah." He said. I could tell he didn't like me.

"That's not nice." I shrugged as I walked back over to the couch.

I stood behind the couch and leaned on the top with my arms. Ryan stayed where he was standing. There was another knock on the door. I brushed past Ryan to get to the door. I opened it this time to Commissioner Gordon. After all these years I had never seen him look so tired and stressed. I let him in and he took a seat on the couch. He put his head in his hands and stayed that way until he noticed Ryan.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I'm Morgan's boyfriend." He said cautiously. "Ryan Hunter." He put his hand out.

Gordon just looked at it. "You mean Mr. Hunter. Like as in Mr. Hunter the editor and chief for the news paper."

"Yes, that's me." Ryan took his rejected hand back.

Gordon looked him over angrily. "You mean you're her boss then?"

Ryan went pale. "Well…I…We…You see…" He gave up. "Yes."

Gordon looked at me. "And how do you even know her?"

I really wished he hadn't asked me that. I had no answer. I could say what we did last night, but they weren't the best people in the world to know that little detail.

"We've met a few times." I swallowed. "I guess they just assumed we knew each other better."

Gordon looked like he had bought it. I sighed slightly from relief. But I still had this Joker thing to deal with. He was not just Batman's problem now; he was Bruce Wayne's problem too.

* * *

**The next one will have even more Joker in it most likely. I just have no idea what he wants from this deal he is making right now with Bruce Wayne. I was so happy I finally hooked up Bruce and Morgan. Now I just have to get rid of Ryan some way. ;). And I am mad at myself about Alfred. He is such a sweetie, and now he is held hostage with the Joker. Just check back to see how Morgan likes the whole situation once she wakes up. I might add another poitn of veiw in of someone else, but I HIGHLY doubt it. Review please. Thanks. TTFN! TAH TAH FOR NOW! . Don't ask. :P.**


	6. Sixth Page Headline

**Please don't be mad at me. I made a short one after I just made a really long one. I think the last chapter tired me out alittle bit. My brain needs to rest and come up with more ideas. I guess...this is a filler. :( I don't like calling them that, but I guess this is was it is. I hope you enjoy it and check back for when I do have an full sized chapter done. This is just until I come up with hopefully some really good ideas for the rest of the story. I should have one written hopefully by Monday I would like to say, if it's going to be a long full story packed with lots of stuff like the last one. I just felt that instead of me taking a week to post again, I'd let you guys have something in between. This did help me get some creative juices flowing though. XD. So review and tell me what you think so far. Motivation is key! Lol. Thanks. Oh, and the last chapter, I was really happy with the amount of reveiws I got. They put a smile on my face. XD. Thanks for the critisim (good not bad.) it gave me a push to edit more patiently and try harder. And thanks for the good reviews. Yay.**

* * *

For some reason I could not remember going to bed the night before. I guess I had been really tired. My head felt like a million horses had trotted on it. I hope I didn't have a migraine. I would have to take the day off work. Wait, it was Saturday; I already had the day off. At least I could relax then and not have any distributions.

I went to do my usual morning yawn. My arms wouldn't move upwards. I jiggled them a bit. I shook my legs but they stayed where they were. All I wanted to do was stretch. What was wrong with me? I went to yawn anyways and my mouth wouldn't open. I must be having one of those messed up dreams where you're so tired you don't even move in your dreams. I was so glad I had figured that one out.

There was a faint noise making my ears hum. If those neighbours didn't shut up soon I would call the cops on them. Every weekend they had noisy parties and loud cars driving around. I hate teenagers. They have no respect for people. They were not helping my headache any either. The murmurs got louder. They better not be on my front lawn again. If I find bottles and cigarette butts on my property I was going to be very angry. The voices got louder. That was it.

I opened my eyes to see a dingy dark room around me. Where was I? I tried to moved and realised I was tied to a chair. I went to scream but my mouth was duck taped shut. I really wish my dream theory had been real. I was actually tied up in a strange room with a massive headache. Then I remembered last night and right before I blacked out on the way to the floor.

"Oh well," Came a voice. "Look who's finally up!" The voice laughed.

I tried to talk but remembered that my mouth was taped closed. The figure of the voice stepped into the light of the room. I looked at him and yelled a muffled scream. He grabbed on to my chair and leaned over me until he was an inch away from my face.

"What's the matter?" He spoke into my face. "Is it the make up? The scars? Do I smell?" He did his shrieking laugh again. "I got all dressed up for you!" He pouted and then laughed again.

I saw him turn a light on. The light gleamed off the metal objects in the room. I squinted my eyes to see. Once they had adjusted I saw a video camera in front of me. I looked around the room. It was long and slightly narrow. There was a door at the other end of the room surround by men with guns. I turned the other way and saw a man to the right of me. He was in the same situation as me.

"Afid?" I mumbled as I realised who it was.

"ewo mizz." Alfred said through the tape.

"Eh ave a am ma, I?" I asked him.

He gave me a confused look. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head letting me know he couldn't understand me. I sighed. I tilted my head towards the camera. He looked in the direction of my frantic head jolts.

"Mm! Ou ean a am ma?" He said pleasingly.

I nodded.

"Eh odast on a ews." He told me.

"At?" I said spitting out more gibberish.

He sighed this time.

...

I paced around in front of the couch. How do I be Bruce Wayne AND Batman at the same time? I can't run off and be Batman. I can't just sit here and let this happen either. We waited for more footage to come on the news. Ryan sat on the couch constantly cracking his knuckles. Gordon was on the phone every 2 minutes with the cop station. I really had to think of something.

The television sang out the breaking news chime. We all swerved towards it. The camera was staring at a wall. I sat down on the couch a good foot away from Ryan. The camera spun around to show Joker.

"Hi again." He said licking his lips some more. He added a laugh after. "Guess who woke up finally!"

The camera spun around to face Morgan who was glaring at Joker. He took the camera and walked towards her. He stuck it in her face. She turned her head away from it. Her hair was tangled and her make up was dark and smudged across the sides of her face. Her nostrils flared in anger as he continued to annoy her.

"You're a little bit grumpy aren't you?" He whined to her. He turned the camera back on him. "It's like she doesn't like me or something." He hooted. "Let's see what's she trying to say." He focused the camera on her and ripped the tape off her mouth. He laughed as she yelled out in pain. "You see? We aren't that horrible are we? You can talk now." He said to her softly and then chuckled.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT WITH US?" She screamed at him.

He took her by the face with his right hand. "Now, now, now. All in good time." He let go.

"You sicken me!" She spat at him. "Everything disgusting inch of you."

Alfred began shaking his head at her. Joker once again pointed the camera to himself.

"You see, I told you she didn't like me." He laughed again and licked his bottom lip. " I must say Mr. Wayne…" He laughed. "I might have to lower the time you have. She's feisty." He laughed even louder.

"BRUCE! WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO DO WITH THIS?" Morgan yelled in the back ground.

Joker looked into the camera with displeasure. He faced her with the camera still on him. "You ruined the end of the film. I was going to end it with a laugh." He looked back into the camera and licked his lips. "Ignore her little comment." He breathed in and chuckled. " You have till midnight Mr. Wayne. Unless…" He glanced at Morgan quickly. "Unless this one gets too out of hand. She's the first to go." He smirked.

"EXCUSE ME!" Morgan yelled from the back ground again.

He sighed. "You ruined the ending again! I am really going to have to kill you soon if you keep doing that." He looked into the camera and shut it off before Morgan could say another word.


	7. Seventh Page Headline

**So...I think I am getting out of my rut. This chapter...wasn't as long as I wanted it to be, but it's not the end to the major stuff. There's going to be one chapter in the future that may be a bit more slow and not so major, but it will still be pivital. -- I like that word. XD. I'm still trying to get rid of Ryan. . I have plans though. So check back in for more updates. But I don't want to make anymore promises about due dates, I did my best to keep my last promise, but this time I want to take my time and make these ones really...deep. XD. Review. XD.**

**_Sorry about the double updates. I didn't notice the replacement option, so I kept deleting the chapters and adding them again when I had to fix them. SORRY! XD. Now I know what to do. I will try not to do it again._**

* * *

"They haven't tried to do anything!" Ranted Gordon. "My daughter is being held by that monster and my own cops can't even try and do anything."

I kept my opinions about 'his cops' to myself.

"Well if Bruce would just hand him the 500 million they want…" Ryan jabbed at me.

"I am not giving them that money!" I said to him. "There is a way to get them back."

"Why wouldn't you give them the money?" He yelled standing up from the couch.

"It's not exactly pocket change!" I snapped, even though I knew I could afford it. "Listen," I calmed down. "He doesn't want the money."

"Uhh…yeah he does…" Ryan spoke slowly to me to make sure I understood.

Gordon stepped in. "He's right. Joker doesn't want anything to do with the money."

"Then why ask for half a billion dollars?" Ryan sat back down on the couch. "That clown has my girl friend!" He raised his voice.

"That clown has my daughter." Gordon threw at him and Ryan kept his mouth shut.

If the three of us stayed in here together any longer, who knows what would happen. It was evident that Ryan hated me, and that I wasn't too fond of him either. Gordon hated Ryan and I had to make sure I didn't let anything slip around him. So all in all the room was extremely tense. All I needed was for them to leave so that Batman could go try and find Joker. But for now, Bruce Wayne was stuck here able to do nothing.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I had looked around the room a hundred times trying to find a way out. The windows were covered in bars and were high up. There was no way out. I still had my mouth uncovered but I kept quiet. They took the tape off Alfred's mouth so he could make me stop yelling. He told me politely to shut up and stop digging myself a grave, literally.

Joker had wandered back and forth to check on us and count down the time. I still had no idea what was going on. I had been trying to ask Alfred but we were never out of earshot of someone. I was still wondering why Joker had targeted Bruce. I saw Joker leave the room and two men follow him. There was just the pair of men surrounding the door.

"Alfred!" I whispered.

"Yes miss?"

"Can you tell me what's going on?" I checked the door.

"Well you see miss, Joker has captured us and he plans to use us to get 500 million dollars from Master Bruce." He smiled at me kindly as my mouth hung open.

"Why Bruce!" I asked him.

He looked at me sympathetically. "That miss, I don't even know myself. The idea I have about it, sadly I can not share with you."

I was glad Alfred was here to keep me sane. He was calm and strong about the whole situation. If I was alone I would be dead by now. I jerked the chair around a bit underneath me. The rope around my wrists cut deeper into my skin as I pulled at them. I caught a glimpse of something under a bench in front of us. The tripod legs were in the way. I bent my head down and squinted. It was a straight jacket.

"Alfred?" I called him quietly.

"Yes?"

"Do you see the straight jacket under the bench?"

"Yes." He nodded. "But I don't see how a straight jacket would help our situation miss. We are already tied up if you hadn't noticed."

"No Alfred. I mean, why would it be here?"

"Well miss, it's quite ironic really…" He stopped talking when Joker entered the room.

Joker shuffled his feet as he walked. His shoes were worn in and scuffed. His suit was most likely not something you could find in any regular store. His purple pants and green vest were under his purple jacket. His hair was unwashed and slicked back. The ends of it were a yellowy-greenish tint. The red make up elongated his mouth appearing in a constant smile. The white make up was smudged clean is certain spots and his eyes were dark holes in his face.

I looked away as he came closer. He stood crookedly in front of Alfred and I. He ran his right hand over his hair. I stared at the floor. Every time I saw him or heard his voice, my rage level went up. I couldn't believe my own father wouldn't warn me of his escape from prison. He could of at least asked Batman to come save us. Where was Batman?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"BOTH OF YOU STOP IT!" Gordon yelled at Ryan and I.

We both stopped our little yelling match and grew quiet. Ryan wouldn't sit still and stop asking me why I knew Morgan so well. I stuck with my theory of Joker making a mistake in thinking I knew her. Ryan didn't really fall for it. I was glad Gordon had stopped us before I gave up and told him about last night.

"I have to go now." He told us. "Can you two NOT kill each other?"

"I'm leaving too." Ryan glared at me and began to walk to the front door.

"Bruce?" Gordon addressed me. "I will keep in touch with you. Now I have to go to the police station."

I nodded in response. They were finally gone!

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Thank goodness you came!" Gordon said when he saw me.

"I heard what happened." I said rushed.

"You did? Oh well of course you did. You're Batman." He rambled.

I just waited for him to tell me what the plan was.

"Oh sorry. I'm just stressed that's all." He apologised.

"Do you have a plan?"

"No, I was hoping you did." He said uneasily.

"Do you know where they are?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"I'll find you." I told him.

He looked up from fiddling with his pen to protest but I had already gone.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I ran up to the computer station in the underground lair. I searched for old buildings in Gotham that may be Jokers hide out. The listings came up and I groaned. I knew nothing about the outside of the building. I only knew of that one room. If Alfred could just give me a clue the next time they broadcasted. Remembering the television I logged on to it from the computer. I continued searching the buildings while I waited for more news on the situation.

"There has to be a new broadcast!" I said impatiently.

The screen flashed the breaking news animation. Joker appeared back on the screen. He repeated the demands and laughed repeatedly. I studied the room. I just saw benches and a chair in the corner. The camera went on Morgan and Alfred. The tape had also been removed from Alfred's mouth. They sat there is silence as Joker filmed them, getting closer to them with every step he took.

"Morgy?" He said to her and she winced. "No? You don't like that nickname…Marg? No…Moe?" He laughed. "That rhymed did you catch that?" She kept her gaze on the floor.

"LOOK AT ME!" He screamed at her. Her eyes stayed on the floor. "I SAID LOOK AT ME!"

"No." She trembled.

"WHY!" He screamed at her again.

"I don't want too." She swallowed.

"What would you rather look at then?" He followed her gazed with the camera. "THE STRAIGHT JACKET IS NOT THE ONE WITH THE POWER HERE!" He yelled at her when he refocused the camera on her.

I quickly searched for buildings in Gotham that would have the need for straight jackets. I got a few results. Most of them were in use. I saw one result that looked familiar. I looked back up at the screen with the broadcast still playing on it. I starred at the chair in the background. I noticed restraints on the arms and legs of it.

"LOOK AT ME!" He was still yelling at her. He turned to look at Alfred. "TELL HER TO LOOK AT ME!"

Alfred stayed calm. "She said she doesn't want too." He retracted. "I don't think she would listen to me anymore then you." He put his head down.

"I can't look at such a disgusting thing!" She spat out, still looking at the floor.

Joker turned the camera back around. "You have till 10 tonight now Mr. Wayne. She just lost you two hours." He licked his lips once more.

"You dick! You disgust me! Everything about you!" Morgan yelled from the background.

The camera work got even more nauseating as he began untying the rope on Morgan's ankles with one hand. He pulled her off the chair by the hair and dragged her a bit while she tried to get her footing.

"LET GO OF ME!" She protested, trying to kick his legs.

"I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!" You could hear his wheezy chuckles as he hauled her out of the room.

The camera shut off and the broadcast ended. I looked back at the listing and saw the address. I pulled on my mask and ran out of the lair.

…

Gordon met me on the roof. He had seen the recent broadcast as well.

"You said you found the possible location?"

"Yes." I said hastily. "We have to get there immediately." I was thinking about Morgan and what The Joker might be doing to her by now.

"Where is it?"

"Arkam."

Gordon looked shocked. "The Naros?"

"Yes." I said before I turned and left.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"STOP! LET GO OF ME! NOW!" I screamed as I was violently thrown on the ground face first. "Oww." I was roughly turned over and Joker had his hand on my neck. "Don't you touch me you slimly, horrible, vulgar…" He tightened his grip on my throat making me loose drastic intakes of air.

He laughed. I saw him pulled a knife out of the inside of his jacket. I began to squirm. He smiled and released his other hand from my neck. The small room stopped spinning. He lifted the hand containing the knife. I began kicking my legs at him and screaming. He went to lower his arm and but couldn't. He turned and looked at his arm. He saw the gloved hand rapped around it. His eyes glanced upwards. The next thing I knew he was shoved up against a wall with incredible force. I sat up and starred in relief.

Batman now had Joker by the back of his jacket. Joker's face was pressed up against the cold hard white brick. Batman took Joker and smashed his head on the bench.

"Never on the head!" Joker managed to get out before Batman lifted him back off the floor and elbowed him across the back of the head.

"Why Bruce Wayne?" Batman angrily questioned Joker while he held him up against wall.

Joker licked his lips and laughed. "Who else in Gotham would have enough money?"

"You don't want the money!" I growled at him.

"Do you really think I know what I want?" He smiled. "Imagine how many explosives 500 million dollars could get me." He looked at me on the floor. "And what's more exciting, an old aged billionaire having family kidnapped, or Bruce Wayne?" He licked his lips. "Which makes Gotham panic more? Their precious bachelor getting targeted, that's what."

I watched as Batman continued to rough Joker up. He threw Joker on the bench again. Joker just laughed as Batman tried his hardest to scare him.

"All this does nothing Batman!" He took one of his raspy breaths. "I know you won't kill me!"

Batman grabbed him by his collar but said nothing. I waited for him to say he was going to actually kill him, or bash him around a bit more. He just did nothing. Joker began laughing again. Batman just furiously glared at him.

"Do something!" I yelled at him.

"Yeah Batman." Joker mocked him. "Do something!"


	8. Eighth Page Headline

****

Hi...I took a long time with this one. This is basicly a filler. Though...it is important. But, not like action filled...like the last too. More personal stuff. Some hints are in there too. So check out for those.

**School has started for me now, so I might slow down my updates. Though soon I will have some time maybe to write some and I should try and post a chapter every one-two weeks, most likely being two weeks. Never know though.**

**So enjoy. Review. Thanks.**

"I don't have to do anything!" He bellowed back at Joker. "I'm not going to do anything!"

"We've noticed." Joker said without any amusement in his voice.

"I'm leaving you here for Gordon!"

"Oh, yes because putting me back in there is really going to solve all of Gotham's problems." Joker taunted him.

Batman slammed him back down on the bench. "I'm not letting you get out of Gordon's sight again!"

I looked around the room. I saw another chair just like the one in the other room. I crawled over to it with the little energy I had left. The tethers still worked and the restraints were strong. I turned back to see Batman slam Joker back against the hard wood of the bench. Sighing at Batman's commitment to try and hold back from killing Joker, I cleared my throat.

"Umm, Batman?" I said timidly.

He stopped tormenting Joker and looked up at me. I pointed to the chair beside me. He gazed down at Joker who lied there waiting for his next laugh. Batman stood up and pulled Joker off the bench by his collar. He dragged Joker over to the chair.

"Oh look at you. Leave me in this chair till your little friend Gordon gets here." He laughed.

"Well, seeing as you should be in this chair!" I snapped at him.

"What makes you say that?" He licked his lips and chuckled.

"Someone as crazy as you deserves to be locked up!" I finished for him.

"I'm not crazy, not at all." He licked his lips as Batman forcefully strapped him in to the chair. "I'm not!"

Batman walked over to me and lifted me into his arms. He avoided eye contact with me. He quickly headed to out of the room.

"Where's Alfred?" He asked me.

I paused before I answered him. There was something strange about that but I didn't know why. I shook my head and went back to his question.

"In that room straight ahead." I pointed as he turned the corner.

The two men guarding the door spun around when they heard my voice.

"HEY!" One of them yelled while he went for his gun.

Batman put me down on the hard ground rather violently. I rubbed my hipbone as I got up to crawl around the corner. I peaked down the hall. He had already taken down one guy and was going against the other. With one final blow to the head the last masked figure fell down. He turned to me and hand signalled me to stay were I was. I didn't want to stay there but I did.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Ah Master Wayne, about time you showed up." Alfred greeted me quietly.

"Well Alfred, Bruce Wayne had some obstacles." I said back as I untied the ropes around his arms and feet.

"Is Miss. Hilroy okay sir?" He asked me.

"Morgan's fine."

"Where is she then?" He looked behind me.

"Down the hall Alfred." I pulled the last knot undone around his left leg. "Come on, Batman can't be seen here." I rushed him out the door and down the hallway.

Morgan was still sitting there against the wall. She looked up at us. I bent down and undid the rope around her wrists. She leaned forward and held her hands to her chest in pain. He forearms were scratched and irritated. I turned to Alfred, as the sirens grew louder.

"Take her outside to them Alfred." I said in a hushed voice so Morgan wouldn't hear.

"Of course sir." Alfred nodded and bent down to help pull Morgan off the ground. He turned around to say more but I was already gone.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Morgan!" Ryan ran up to me and squeezed me like I was a Florida orange.

"Hi." I said awkwardly. He let go of me and frowned. "What?" I asked.

"Hi? You could be dead right now and all you have to say is hi?" He looked hurt.

Honestly, I was glad to see him but something wasn't right. I didn't get that warm and fuzzy feeling. Maybe it was because of all the day's drama. I'm sure after a few hours I would be more settled and things would go back to normal. I mean it was Ryan…I liked him right?

I smiled at him. "I'm sorry." I said. "I'm just a little shaken up still."

"Come back to my place okay. You can rest there." He brushed some hair out of my face. "I'll make you something good to eat."

"I am hungry." I mumbled while fidgeting with my belt loop. "But, I think my dad wants me at his house." I lied. "He might want to talk and stuff, you know?"

His grin faded. "Oh…okay. I guess you should go with your dad then." He looked at the ground while he spoke. "But you can call me and drop by if you want to."

I felt bad about lying to him. He was just trying to help me and be a boyfriend. I just didn't want to go. He looked up and covered his disappointment with a smile. I gave him a little smile back for reassurance. He kissed me and said the most horrifying three words to me.

"I love you."

My heart stopped. Not in the good way either. I think it literally stopped. I had never felt so bad. I was never good at this awkward love stuff. Especially when I had only been dating him for a week and a half. I had no desire to say those three words back to him, but the look on his face made me want to start sobbing.

"I love you too." I lied to him again for the second time.

He kissed me again. "There's your dad." He said tilting his head towards my dad as he was finishing talking to another police officer. "I better go."

"Okay." I said while holding back the urge to punch myself in the face.

"Ryan ran off quite quickly didn't he?" My father said as he walked up to me.

"Uhh…yeah." I cleared my throat.

"So you're alright honey?" He asked me.

"Yes daddy I'm fine. Just like I was when you asked me 20 minutes ago."

"I just want to make sure." He hugged me. "You don't want to stay over tonight?"

"No." I shook my head. "Ryan wanted to make me dinner."

Now I was lying to my father.

"Oh…but he just drove away."

"He…did…" I looked for his car. "Shit." I murmured under my breath. "Umm. OH! Yeah I forgot, he went to go get stuff…"

"I see." My father nodded.

"Uh huh." I grinned wide as I nodded too.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Master Wayne?" Alfred said, entering my room.

"Yes Alfred?"

"From now on, I do not wish to have any nights off."

I smirked. "Of course Alfred."

I followed him out of my room. I went in to the kitchen and opened the fridge.

"Dinner sir?"

"Alfred, I can make something for myself. Go rest." I looked back into the fridge.

'But Master Wayne…" He stalled.

"Alfred, please." I begged him.

"Very well." He smiled. "Very well."

Alfred was on his way to his room when there was a knock on the door. He walked up to it and peaked through the peek hole. He walked into my view from the kitchen.

"Master Wayne, Mr. Hunter is at the door."

I looked up from making my turkey sandwich. I shook my head so that he wouldn't answer it. I quickly threw my sandwich together and snuck off to my room. I heard Alfred open the door and greet him. All Alfred got out was, "Hello Mr. Hunter, here to see…" before Ryan barged in the door for the second time.

"Where's Bruce?"

"Master Wayne is not home at this time I am afraid sir."

"Well I thought I would drop by and tell him that he can just go on with his life because Morgan is fine now." Ryan said.

"Yes sir. I am sure Master Wayne noticed that we are both okay now." Alfred said politely.

"Oh." Ryan paused. "How are you doing?"

"I am fine thank you. Is Morgan resting?"

"Apparently. She said she was going to her fathers." He sounded bitter. "Bruce isn't home?"

"No he is not. Would you like to leave a message about anything else sir?"

"Umm…No I think I am fine."

There was a second knock on the door. I sighed as I took another bite of my sandwich. I heard Alfred excuse himself and head towards the door.

"Hi Alfred." Morgan's voice floated through the air.

I choked on a piece of turkey.

"Miss…" Alfred panicked.

"Is Bruce home?" She asked.

"Uhh, no he is not…" Alfred gulped.

"Strange, he said he was going to be home half an hour ago."

I checked my watch. I had told her 8 and it was now half past that. I hadn't noticed the time. I left my almost eaten sandwich on the mantel and wiped my mouth off.

"I'm sorry miss…" Alfred was still unsure of what to do.

"Do you mind if I come in?" She asked.

"Well I don't but…" Alfred tried to stall. "Really Miss Hilroy, Master Bruce might be awhile."

"Oh don't worry I can wait. I'll just watch some television or something."

I heard a rustling in the room down the hall. Ryan must have wandered off. That means he didn't know Morgan was there yet. I checked my reflection quickly and then quietly stepped out of my room. I silently made my way towards Alfred and Morgan.

"Hi there." I greeted her quietly.

"Master Wayne!" Alfred looked around for Ryan.

"You have to be going now." I told her.

"What? Why?" She took a step in side.

I hesitated. "You can't be seen here…"

"Why can't I be seen here Bruce?" She walked in side and stood in front of me.

"I just…" I stopped. "Quick." I grabbed her arm and began jogging to my room.

I might as well just hide her until Ryan leaves instead of trying to get her to leave. We almost made it to my doorway when Ryan had had enough snooping. He left my library and turned to head down the hall.

"Wow Bruce, can I at least freshen up first?" Morgan said with a giggle.

"Morgan…" Ryan said stunned.

In all my times as Batman, I had never seen so much terror strike someone's face as it did Morgan's. She went instantly pale at the sound of his voice saying her name. She turned as if in slow motion towards him in the hallway. She shook her arm out of my grip.

"Ryan…"

"What are you doing here?"

"I am…here to ask Bruce what happened and thank him..." She lied to him.

"You could have just asked me." He frowned.

She smiled at him sympathetically. "You know what, I could have. And I will." She turned and gave me a helpless look. "Why don't I have dinner at your house after all?"

"What about your dads?" He asked her.

"Oh, well, he was the one that told me to come over here and hear about the whole situation because he was too stressed to talk about it tonight and I really wanted to know."

"Oh okay." He headed for the door.

Morgan turned to me and mouthed, "Did he not hear what I said to you?" I just shrugged and waved to her as she left. Alfred said good-bye to them both and walked towards his room. He stopped and faced me.

"Master Wayne?"

"Yes?"

"I am going to rest now." He said relieved.

"I might as well turn in too." I said, stuffing my hands in my pant pockets. "Good night Alfred."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hello Miss, Can I help you?" I was greeted when I walked in through the door of the office.

"Is Bruce here today?" I asked her.

She gave me a dirty look. "No, he isn't. Do you want to make an appointment?"

I stood awkwardly in my place before her shiny desk. My heels wobbled back and forth as I shifted my hips back and forth. I felt her looking me over. I suddenly felt very out of place in my blue jeans and white T-shirt.

"No, actually I was hoping to see him right now…if that was possible."

"Mr. Wayne is a very busy man. He doesn't have time to see just anybody." She looked me up and down again.

The door I came through previously opened and Bruce stepped in. I was still not use to seeing him in a suit. I glanced at his secretary. She quickly turned away from me. I turned back to face Bruce.

"Jessica, do I have any meetings this afternoon?" Bruce asked her.

She flashed me a hurried glare and put her attention back on him. "Yes Mr. Wayne you do."

"Really?" He seemed surprised. "I didn't remember any being scheduled."

"That's probably why you have a secretary." I piped up.

"Morgan!" He smiled at me.

His secretary looked back and forth between us. Her mouth hung open. I gave her a smug smile and hugged Bruce. Jessica went back to her paper work. She stacked papers violently on top of one another while Bruce and I entered his office.

He looked amazing in a navy suit. He showed me a seat on the couch in his office. He sat down beside it in a chair. He rested his elbow on the armrest. He absentmindedly stroked his fair lips with the inside of his pointer finger.

"Your secretary doesn't like me." I let slip out.

He chuckled. "I noticed." He undid the buttons on his suit. "I'm sorry, I didn't even see you there at first."

"It's okay." I looked around the office. "Last night was…scary."

"Just a bit." He stood up. "Coffee?"

"Yes please."

He pressed the talk button on his pager and played his cocky but charming Bruce Wayne act. "Jessica, could you go get us two coffees please…" He looked over at me. "Regular?" I nodded and he went back to the pager. "Two regulars."

I got up and walked around the office. The walls were white and the carpet was a speckled gray colour. His desk was a dark wood. The couches were black leather with a dark wood coffee table to match the desk. There were some shelves with pictures on them. I grazed over them. There was one of two people; I was guessing they were his parents. Then there was a picture of the Wayne Manor.

"Are you rebuilding the manor?" I asked him while he pulled off his suit jacket.

"Hmm?" He walked over to where I was standing. "Oh, yeah. It's already being done."

"Oh." I responded. "You look good in a suit and tie."

"You look good in jeans and a t-shirt." He said back to me.

"I guess I did come here a little underdressed…"

He shook his head. "Not at all."

He took my head in his hands and kissed me. I giggled and played with his tie while we kissed. He twisted my hair around his fingers. I pulled his tie off and he laughed. I pulled him closer again and we continued kissing.

"Did I mention that you also look good without the suit and tie?" I smirked.

"No." He laughed again and kissed my neck.

He kissed me again. I unbuttoned his dress shirt. He placed his hands on my lower back. His dress shirt slipped off his arms and fell on the floor. He pulled off my white t-shirt. I wrapped my arms around his neck and bit his bottom lip as the office door opened. We heard a gasp and coffee spilling everywhere, followed by cursing.

His secretary stood there in the doorway to the office covered in hot coffee. I quickly grabbed my shirt off the floor. Bruce did the same. I pulled it over my extremely flushed head and fixed my hair. I took a few steps to leave and looked back at Bruce who was also not sure what to do. I just said bye and ran out of the office. I jogged back and took one of the half filled coffee cups out of the tray that Jessica was still holding. Then I booked it to the elevator.

As I made it out of the building I noticed a bunch of people around my car. I walked to the curb where it was parked. They all turned around and flashing lights and black microphones suddenly attacked me. A woman in a beige pantsuit stuck her microphone right into my face.

"Oww!" I mumbled pushing it away from my mouth.

The lady grabbed my arm and I spun around.

"How do you know Bruce Wayne?" She asked me.

"I don't know…" I stumbled over my high heels. "I just…" A camera came close up to my face. "We just know each other!" I pushed my way to the car.

"Are you two seeing each other?" Asked a short man in his mid 30's.

I glared at him. "I am not answering any questions about that happened, about why I was kidnapped, or how I know Mr. Wayne."

I hopped in my car and drove away.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I jogged through the door to the pent house. Alfred was standing by the television. He turned to me with a perplexed expression on his face. I loosened my tie and joined him by the couch. I sat down and listened to the crowd of news reporters' attack a poor young lady.

"Who is it Alfred?" I asked him.

"That's Morgan sir."

I saw her knock a microphone out of her face.

"What are they doing to her?"

"I believe they are trying to see if you two are dating Master Wayne." Alfred said.

I rubbed my face. "This is not good." I hung my head and shook it back and forth. "This is not good Alfred."

"We didn't seem to get anything out of Miss Hilroy." Said the woman reporter in a beige pantsuit. "Bruce Wayne could not be reached for questions. We did however, meet his secretary."

"Not good at all Alfred." I said slowly.

"I went to get Mr. Wayne and Miss Hilroy some coffee." Jessica told the microphones. "I walked straight into the office as I usually do." She pointed out her shirt. "I spilt coffee all over my new expensive red silk blouse." She huffed. "Let me just say that they are for sure dating."

"Well," Alfred cleared his throat. "Let's hope Mr. Hunter isn't watching the news right now."

I looked up at him with unease. Like clockwork there was an insistent knocking on the front door. I stood up to run to my room. Alfred shook his head and guided his hand towards the door. I slowly made my way towards it. I paused before I opened it. I pulled the door open as if it was made of stone. All of a sudden Ryan's fist hit me straight in the nose.

"Better you then me sir." I heard Alfred mutter while he shuffled off to the kitchen.

I pulled myself off the floor. I felt some blood run from my nose. Ryan stood there glaring at me. I fixed my shirt. I took a tissue from the table beside me and wiped my nose off.

"Nice to see you too." I spat at him sarcastically.

"She was never going to her father's last night was she?" He yelled.

"No I suppose not." I said.

"She hates you!"

"I guess she never mentioned our run-in at the spa you sent her too." I attempted to explain.

"Why were you at a spa?" He said.

"I own the hotel that the spa is located in."

He tilted his head pack and laughed in frustration. "Oh well perfect. Of course you do." He threw his arms up in the air. "What else do you own?" He asked rhetorically.

"Your girlfriend Mr. Hunter. " Alfred snuck in as he went passed us into another room.

I hid my sudden outburst of laughs with a few coughs. "Thank you for your input Alfred."

"Of coarse sir." He said smugly as he passed us again.

"YOU LEAVE MORGAN ALONE! IF I SEE YOU WITH HER AGAIN I WILL KICK YOUR ASS! DO YOU HERE ME?" Ryan screamed at me.

"I wouldn't try that approach." Alfred warned him as he put some towels in the laundry room.

"Mr. Hunter," I began. "What happens will happen."

He breathed angrily out his nostrils.

"Eek!" I heard a female voice say from the elevator.

Ryan turned around to see who it was. "Oh well this is just perfect." He walked over to her and pulled her over to the doorway. "Care to explain?" He said to her and pushed her rather harshly through the door.

Morgan just stood there. "Explain what?"

"Come to thank him, yet AGAIN?" Ryan grumbled under his breath to her.

"Yes…" She said through her teeth while she grinned.

"STOP LYING TO ME!" He shouted at her.

I pushed Morgan behind me. "Don't you speak to her like that!"

"Please make him leave." Morgan muttered to me quietly.

"I think you should leave before you do something you'll most likely regret." I suggested calmly.

He stormed off to the elevator and I shut the door behind him and locked it. Ryan began yelling again through the closed door. Morgan pulled the hood of her gray sweater all the way over her head and curled up in a ball on the floor. I stood in front of her not knowing if I should say something.

I gave Alfred a needing look. He just shrugged at me and gave a sympathetic smile. I knelt down beside her. Her head peeked out from under the hood. Morgan stuffed her hands inside her sleeves and fell back on her butt.

"I feel horrible." She muffled from the gray lump.

"Hey, he shouldn't have yelled at you like that." I tried to coax her.

I saw the gray lump do a big sigh. "No I deserved it." She admitted.

I lifted up a bit of her hood. "Does this mean you don't want to see me anymore?"

Her little gray head shot up. "Are you crazy?"

"Is that a no then?" I laughed awkwardly.

"Does Batman kick ass?"

I hesitated. "Yes?"

A horrified expression crossed Morgan's face. "Bruce…" She grabbed my shoulder.

"What?"

"Oh my god." She looked as if she just saw a ghost. "The only thing worse then sleeping with your boss, is cheating on your boss."

"Oh…" I said, seeing what she meant.

"I just lost my job." She gasped and covered her mouth with her sleeved hands. "I don't know if I was fired or if I quit…"

"A little bit of both Miss." Alfred said with a tray of food in his hands. "Why don't you come eat something, it will make you feel better."

"Okay." Morgan said emerging from the gray lump.

We sat down at the table and Alfred placed that tray in the middle. We both began picking food off it. I took some watermelon and peaches. She went to get the same piece of watermelon as I did. I lifted my hand up in defeat and let her have it. She began munching on it right away.

"Can I be brutally honest with you?" She said with a mouth full of watermelon.

"Of course."

"I think Ryan has some obsessive nature. I never noticed it before we started dating. But he's a little…nutty." She told me. "He…really puzzled me at times."

"Puzzled you?" I asked her.

"Yeah I guess. It's hard to explain." Morgan shrugged and shoved some more watermelon in her mouth. "He would leave these note around the office, I would have to guess what he was trying to tell me. Took twice as long to do what he wanted. He said he felt he had too."

"Well…that's slightly odd." I commented.

"At least you seem normal enough." She joked.

I smiled nervously.

"Well except for that one thing." She said.

I panicked. "What one thing?"

"Well you are a billionaire." She signalled around the pent house.

"Oh! Yeah, that." I let out my breath.

"What did you think I meant silly?" She grinned.

"Nothing." I smiled at her.

She wiped off her mouth and folded her arms up in her sweater. I glanced at her while she wasn't looking. Her bangs fell above her eyes. She brushed them out of her elegant face. I wanted to tell her everything at that very moment. But I knew I shouldn't.

**…**

**So...never click undo. I had stuff typed here and I just lost it all. :(**

**I got rid of Ryan! Not really. He will be around a bit. But it is just Morgan and Bruce now. . Yay...more passionate scenes. -,-. My favourite. :(. Lol. XD. I think I meanted it before how I hate writing those. But they have gotten easier, I guess, to write. Some more with The Joker is coming up too. So check in for that. XD. Please review, (faster updates!) Thanks.**


	9. Nineth Page Headline

**It's like 1 in the morning. After the first week of school. My eyes are burning. That should be a poem. Anyways. I wrote this. It's short, but whatever. XD. It get's to the point, like a pencil sharpener. I wrote this in like one night...it was weird. I had all this engergy and my brain was just like "WOOHOO!" Which hasn't happening in FOREVER! So I wrote this. But then my brain decided it had enough. Lol.**

**Hopefully I can update within the next week, or get a huge chunk done and can post it by next weekendish.**

**Hope you enjoy it. Review. Thanks.**

* * *

So I had now lost my job. No big deal right? I only had a house to pay for, car insurance to take care of, food to buy, electricity and water bills, cell phone bill, cable bill, and credit cards to deal with. I was screwed! Ryan would blacklist me from every company I would apply too. I now had something else to add to my book, 'DON'T CHEAT ON YOUR BOSS!'

I stared at the high ceiling. The fan above me spun counter clockwise. I wish time could spin counter clockwise. That way I could go back in time and fix all this. Really, any girl would give up another relationship for Bruce Wayne. Except those girls wouldn't also lose their jobs at the same time. Or maybe they would give that up too.

I really wanted to go back to before Ryan, when all I cared about was my job. I could have skipped the whole Ryan thing and just met Bruce. Though…it was thanks to Ryan that I ran into Bruce all those times. Things just have to work like that, don't they? Maybe it's to show you that if you were to go back in time and change something, everything else would change too. Well, no matter what has happened, I had to still face it. I mean, hell…I was kidnapped by Joker a mere…week ago. I'm sure I could make it through a few stressful job interviews.

I moved my left arm up to rub my face and elbowed Bruce in the face. He groggily moaned and placed his hand on his cheek. I winced and giggled a bit. He rolled over and went back to sleep. I took my acrylic nail and slowly pressed my pointer finger against his skin, moving it slowly down his arm. He moved and I took my hand away. He brushed his arm off and rolled onto his stomach.

"Aww." I whispered as I did it again.

He moved his face into the pillow. "Stop it!"

"Sorry." I said as he rolled over on his back and rubbed his eyes. "Good morning." I said and gave him a kiss.

"Morning." He mumbled.

"We didn't go to bed that late. Why are you so tired?" I asked him, stroking his brown hair off his forehead.

"I couldn't fall asleep." He replied stiffly.

"You have a bruise on your arm." I frowned, pointing at it.

"Oh…" He looked at it. "I didn't notice I hit it on anything."

"You didn't notice? Bruce it's huge!"

He avoided eye contact with me. I looked at him in concern. A bruise the size of a grapefruit doesn't just 'happen' unnoticed like that. He yawned and yelped out in pain. He rubbed his leg and quickly looked at me before looking away when he noticed my gaze.

"It's nothing."

"Bruce."

He got up and tried his best to hide his limp while he headed to the bathroom. He got to the door and hopped on his good leg in the door way and shut the door behind him. I got up and knocked on the bathroom door.

"Bruce, it's not just 'nothing.'"

He didn't respond. I stood out side the door waiting for him to come out. He finally opened the door after a few minutes and stepped out of the bathroom. He limped over to his closet. I followed him, eyeing his body for anymore bruises or lacerations. There was another large bruise along the right side of his stomach.

"Bruce? Are you going to tell me what happened?" I fussed.

He gasped in pain as he pulled his shirt on slowly.

"Bruce!' I said angrily.

"Polo." He muttered and pulled on his pants with the same amount of agony as he had with his shirt.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I HAD to find away. I couldn't just let her go. She was MINE first. Hell, she was my employee too. My best employee at that! On one hand, I never wanted to see her again; on the other hand I couldn't stop thinking about her. If there was just someway to get her back. She was probably wondering about her job too. She hadn't shown up for the past 4 days. I just couldn't face her yet. I needed some time. But the more time I took, the more involved she would get with Bruce Wayne.

"Sir?"

There was a voice from my office doorway. I swerved around in my chair to face her. I signalled her to come in. She walked over to my desk and stood there. I raised my eyebrow waiting for her to tell me what she wanted. She leaned over and whispered something to me.

"Joker wants an interview?" I looked at her as if she were crazy.

She nodded. "He wants it on the front page."

"Well…it's a good story."

"Are you going to get Morgan to write it?" She asked unaware of the situation.

"Umm…no I'm not getting Morgan to write it Sarah. Morgan is on…she's on a little bit of a leave." I cleared my throat and adjusted myself in my seat. "A hiatus if you like."

"Oh." She tucked her blonde hair behind her ears. "Did she ever finish that Batman article?"

"No. I think with the things that have happened to her, she has needed some time to relax." I lied.

"Is she coming back?"

"Sarah, that's enough with the questions, thank you." I showed her to the doorway of my office. "I will do the article personally myself."

"I will do the Batman article Ryan." She greedily offered.

"It's Mr. Hunter to you, and no you will not." I gave her a look of forced sympathy right before I slammed the door in her face.

I sat back down in my chair. I folded my arms on my desk and laid my head on them. Maybe doing an article would get my mind off her. I had no motivation to do anything, how could I muster up the enthusiasm to write a huge article like that. Joker did kidnap her. I got a sudden spark of eagerness. I wanted to ask him questions about it and why he did it! I wanted to beat him to a pulp for what he did. What I really wanted to do most though, deep down, was too impress her still.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Morgan looked me up and down. I continued to get dressed. Her eyes followed me as I wandered around my closet. I limped past her and went to sit on the bed to put on my socks. I leaned forwards and winced. Her eyebrow raised on the right side of her face. I tore my eyes away from her when she caught them with hers.

"I have to go in today." I spoke over the pain I was feeling in my side.

She nodded. "Uh huh."

I kissed her on the forehead and grabbed my suit jacket off the back of an armchair. She watched me in perplexity as I left the room. I cringed as I limped across the pent house. Alfred stopped what he was doing and rushed over to me.

"Are you okay Master Wayne?" He said worriedly.

"Just a little soar Alfred."

"Just a little sir?" He asked suspiciously.

I waved him off. "Yes." He still looked concerned. "Please make Morgan some breakfast Alfred."

"Of course Master Wayne."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I waited until Bruce had left the pent house to leave the room. I heard the door close so I walked out to the hallway. I heard Alfred in the kitchen. I headed steadily towards it, still fumbling with Bruce's behaviour in my mind. Alfred was taking some eggs out of the refrigerator for a late breakfast.

"Alfred?" I asked.

He stood up from behind the refrigerator. "Yes miss?"

"Does Bruce play polo?"

He gave me a strange look and then softened his expression. "Ah miss. Dabbles."

"Really?"

He frowned. "No…Master Wayne doesn't play polo."

"Oh." I mumbled as I left the kitchen.

"Eggs Miss?" He yelled from the kitchen as I entered the living room.

"No thank you Alfred. I had some eggs yesterday."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Right this way sir." The guard guided me.

I followed him down the corridor. I tried not to stare at the criminals watching me as I passed by. We walked for what felt like a lifetime until the guard stopped at the last cell. It was secluded from all the other cells.

"Here you go. I'll be out side here if anything goes wrong." He said to me for reassurance.

"Don't worry. I'll play nice. Officer." I heard the cell occupant say slyly right before he did a shrieking laugh.


	10. Tenth Page Headline

**Another one! XD. TEN CHAPTERS! WOOHOO! YAY! I am beginning to get back into writing it I think. Knock on wood. There was a bit there where I was just writing chapters because I...wrote them...hmm, it's hard to explain. But I am pumped now. But I couldn 't make this any longer because I have no idea what the small details are for the rest of the plot. I just know some little things that are floating around my head. Aren't you feeling secure about the story. XD. I never have a plann really. I just go with the flow. And usually what I want to happen ends up going completely differently. XD. Lol. Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's fairly short, but once again, it get's the job done. XD.**

**Thank you aminea88, Scarlet Snidget, and WritingxIsxMyxLife for the regular reveiws!**

**Review. Enjoy, and thank you!**

* * *

It actually felt good to be back home. It brought back all the memories of relaxing alone after work. There was still some stuff left out from the last few times I had been home. It had felt like forever since I had really spent time here. I collapsed on the couch and put my feet up. The feeling of sheer comfort rushed through me. I adjusted my head on the cushiony arm of the couch. It felt good to be by myself. I lied there just listening to the silence.

I was just about to close my eyes when I heard the sound of an engine. It came closer and the pavement of my driveway scratched along the tires. I kicked my legs in the air and grumbled. I just want one second to myself. I rolled off the couch and dragged myself to the door. I heard the car door slam shut and foot steps coming up my walkway. Looking though the peek-hole I spied on who was coming towards the house. All I saw was the blonde hair and I sunk to the floor.

The doorbell chimed. I stayed in my ball on the floor. I heard him clear his throat. I was not going to answer that door. He rang the bell again, and then knocked on the door. I sighed at his insistence. I fumbled with my fingers. I stood up and peeked through the hole again. He was standing here in his work clothes and a bunch of flowers. I silently yelled out in frustration and yanked the door open.

"You're home!" He blushed. "I had rung the door bell a few times."

"I had music on." I lied.

"Well…I…bought you these." He flustered and handed me the flowers.

I looked at his out stretched arm. "Why?" I asked him shyly.

"What do you mean 'why'?" He looked hurt.

"You didn't do anything."

"So?" He shrugged while looking into the flowers. "Maybe we could forget it happened."

My eyes began to water. The sparkle in his eyes was like a sad dying Christmas light. I just continued to stare at him while I held back the tears. He stuck his arm out again to give me the flowers.

"Take them." He insisted.

I shook my head. "I don't deserve them." I choked on a tear.

He bent down and placed the flowers on my welcome mat. I watched him walk back to his car and get in. I glanced at the flowers. They were my favourite, white roses, a dozen of them. He backed out of the driveway and headed down the street to the city. I bent down and picked the flowers up. I went back inside and closed the door. I leaned my back against it while I held the flowers. I put them on my chest and squished them under my arms. I began to cry. I pulled the crumpled bouquet out of my clutch and threw them hard against the wall. The wrapping paper fell apart and the roses all sank to the floor.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Lucius?"

"Mr. Wayne!"

"I need a new suit." I slicked my hair back with my hand.

He looked at me. "What happened to your last one?"

"It's unusable." I told him.

"Unusable you say?"

"Yes." I winced from the pain in my side.

He noticed my sudden flinch. "Mr. Wayne? What happened?"

"Same thing that always happens." I spat out while I tensed my leg.

I couldn't tell anyone what happened. I didn't really know myself. I had no leads, no suspects, and no explanation, just the bruises. I tried to ignored Lucius' worried stare.

"I will get you another suit."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I had been wishing for a better reaction to the flowers, but the one I got was better then the one I thought I would get. I remembered her beautiful face when she had opened the door. I sighed and turned the radio to another station.

"There have been some disturbances in Gotham City lately." The DJ said. "More then usual." The DJ laughed before he continued. "The nightclub Iceberg Lounge has had some commotion lately. As you all know, the Iceberg Lounge is a popular club for the bad crowd." The DJ laughed again. "It's still open because our cops won't go near it!" An applause sound played out of the speakers. "Rumour has it that Batman was seen there last night. Nobody really knows what he did while he was there, but they know he got pushed around quite a bit. Maybe Batman is losing his edge."

I shut the car off. I stayed in the driver's seat and ran ideas through my head. There had to be a way to get her back. Who was more impressive then Bruce Wayne? Then it came to me. Batman.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Master Wayne, telephone for you." Alfred handed me the phone.

"Hello?"

'Hi."

"Oh, hi." I sat up on my bed slowly, trying not to touch the sore spots. "So you went home?"

"Yeah. It had just been awhile since I had." Morgan chuckled. "So what are you doing?"

"I was just resting." I answered.

"Uh huh. Seeing as nothing happened right?" She said with slight anger.

I sighed. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"Why not?" She asked sounding offended.

"Please don't be angry. I just can't tell you." I tried my best to keep her calm. "You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway."

"Well, when you want to tell me, I will listen. And don't think I won't believe you. That's ridiculous."

I stuffed another pillow under my head and moved the icepack back on my leg. I hadn't realised that she probably got insulted when I said she wouldn't believe me. But I was glad she was being understanding and letting me keep it to myself.

"Because I know that it wasn't polo." She added.

"Oh…yeah." I mumbled once I remembered this morning.

"Ryan came over…he brought me flowers. I threw them against the wall." Morgan summarized for me.

"He what?"

"Yeah." She sniffled. "I thought I should tell you."

"What did he do?"

"He just tried to hand them to me, and then left them on my welcome mat." She assured me. "Nothing else happened. Except he wanted to forget all the stuff had ever happened."

"I see." I rolled my eyes. "So is that why you called?"

"No…" She started. "I thought you should come meet my dad."

I thought she had just said she wanted me to meet her dad. I had already met her dad. Not just as Batman, but as Bruce too. She really thought it was a good idea for us to meet again? Gordon could notice something about me.

"Is that really the best idea?" I questioned her. "I mean we have already met."

"But I mean…we should have dinner together or something. I thought we should…" She sniffled again. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'll go. Maybe since Ryan isn't going to be there, the dinner will be relaxed. You also aren't being held hostage."

"Okay." She sniffled but giggled after. "Pick me up at seven then?"

"Of course."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Joker hadn't been the most charming interview. I hadn't suspected the greatest, so I wasn't too shocked. He was unwashed, unkempt, and unmannered. I had walked in to the cell for a mere second before he started to irritate me. Getting a logical answer out of him was hard, though somehow the replies made sense, in a really warped way. I still didn't have enough information on him. I would need to think of some more questions for him. First I had to review the questions I had already asked him.

I had asked him why he had thought of kidnapping Morgan and Alfred. He said that he did it for chaos. I asked him why he wanted to cause chaos. He told me, it was fair. 'Cause some chaos for the people who live perfect lives, and well you're at it, start some havoc.'

I had been shocked by his way of thinking, but it wasn't a demented way, more of an opinionated way. He was a very outgoing individual who liked to make his point clear. Most of the interview was him talking and me writing stuff down. He had actually asked me a few questions. They had been more in-depth questions. Ones that made me think. He had learned that Morgan was my girlfriend, not Bruce's. To my disbelief, he had apologized, though in a way only a homicidal criminal could do.

"She's your girlfriend?" He had asked me.

I hesitated. "Yeah, well she was."

"She was?" He pouted. "How'd that happen?"

"She was cheating on me."

"She was what?" He gasped.

"With Bruce Wayne."

"So she WAS his girlfriend?" Joker had said.

I thought for a bit. "I guess so…"

"Ah." He had paused. "Well, are you going to get her back?"

"How…" He had interrupted me.

"Well, you could send her some flowers. That's a start." He kindly snarled while he mocked my stupidity. "What are her favourite flowers?"

"White roses." He had once again shocked me.

"Well there you go!" He had thrown his hands up in the air for emphasis. "And you know what you do when they cheat on you?"

I shook my head back and forth slowly.

He sighed. "You really aren't good at this are you? No wonder she cheated on you!" He saw the look on my face when he had said that. "Still a little soft about it aren't you?" He licked his lips and leaned forward. Looking straight into my eyes he had said, "Don't get pushed around. You have to make something for yourself. You," he waved his finger at me, "you, you are getting pushed around! You don't want to do that!" He had licked his lips again and chuckled. "You really don't want to do that."

"I don't?" He had given me a bewildered look. "I don't!" I corrected myself.

"You want to be the one people talk about. You want to create the chaos. You want to do the pushing!" He had told me.

"Why?"

He slumped his shoulders and sighed. "To get the girl!"


	11. Eleventh Page Headline

**So. 11th chapter! YAY!. Almost 30,000 words. This one is longish. It starts slow, but hopefully the ending will make up for it. --and that should make you be like, "OMG WHAT'S AT THE END!" Like that last Harry Potter book, you all know you REALLY wanted to just read the last page, but you didn't! XD. Anywhootles --I love that word. I have to go do an essay now for school. I love how this fan fiction comes before my school work. Lol. But that's okay. XD. Please and thank you for your reviews and reading. Thanks again guys!**

So I had realised I probably did a stupid thing by inviting Bruce to dinner with my father and his family. I should have done some more planning first, but I wanted to tell my dad about Bruce. It seemed like the way to do it. I really didn't want to get kidnapped again, that's for sure.

I had tried to do my hair, but I was too anxious for later. I pulled at it and yanked at it, the hairbrush wouldn't come out. I yelled at the brush thinking it would do some good. It didn't, so I continued untangling it. I looked at the clock. I had about 2 hours till Bruce was coming to pick me up. I decided to have another shower to restart my hair.

Once I was done my shower I stepped out onto my black bathmat. I reached for my purple towel and wrapped it around me after I dried myself off. I went to my room to get dressed for the evening instead of getting back into my sweats. In my closet I had many work clothes, some comfy clothes, some special event clothes, my everyday clothes, and my little section of never worn flirty outfits. Damn, I couldn't wear that dress to my fathers. I looked at the beautiful low v-neck, mid-thigh length, and open back dress. I skimmed through some more items of clothing. I found a nice mauve dress with a black belt to go around the waste. I paired it with black heels and smiled. It was perfect. Now back to my hair.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

One hour till the dinner. I had to think of all the things I could slip up on. I also had to remember all thing things I did so that Batman couldn't do them. I really shouldn't be doing this. I looked up as Alfred entered the room. I let him place the book back on the shelf and didn't acknowledge him as he left. He had known to be discrete as I thought over the night's events.

Hopefully Gordon liked me better then he had liked Ryan. But I'm sure he would be sceptical, seeing as our relationship had been all over the news. And I had also lied to his face about seeing his daughter. With any luck, Morgan would be able to keep the night from becoming a mess.

"Alfred?" I bellowed. "Do you have any advice?"

He came waltzing in the room. He looked at me as if I had just admitting I was actually scared of kittens, not bats. "Sir?" He continued to look at me strangely. "Did you just ask me for advice?"

"I've done it before haven't I?"

"I suppose you have." He relaxed his face. "Just with quite more serious things. This is just a dinner Master Wayne."

"I know Alfred. But what am I suppose to do?"

"Impress Morgan's father sir."

"I know that much." I sighed. "I can't slip up tonight."

He smiled. "Sir, if I were you I would stop worrying. Worrying will just make you spoil the evening. Just go and what happens will happen."

"I can't just let anything happen." I fought back.

"You can't control the outcome of everything either Master Wayne."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Half an hour, I think I had everything. I had managed to work with my hair this time. It was straight with little waves at the end of the strands. I paced around my living room. It was to nerve racking. I needed something to do until Bruce got here. I looked at my laptop. I couldn't remember the last time I had checked my e-mails.

"I have an e-mail." I said imitating the infamous voice recording as I signed into IM. "Who is it from?" I read the name. "You have to be shitting me!" I groaned. "What does he want now?" I read the e-mail. "Oh it's just a newsletter for work. Good."

-Beep.-

"Hmm?" I looked down at the orange flashing rectangle in my taskbar. "Okay, NOW you HAVE to be shitting me."

"Hey." The person greeted me.

"Hello." I solemnly responded, hoping they would get the hint right away.

"How are you?" At least he was literate.

"I'm just waiting to go somewhere. How are you?" Instant messaging conversations had seemed to have got so much more proper as I got older.

He replied quickly. "I've just been working on an article."

"Oh good for you." I said, faking interest. My attitude about these online conversations hadn't changed much. I never really paid much attention to them. "On what?" I really didn't care.

"The Joker." Ryan said. Okay, now I cared.

I adjusted the laptop on my lap. "You're doing an article on The Joker?" His name felt bizarre to type. "Why?"

"To get an understanding of him."

"You really think you will ever be able to get anything logical out of him?" I asked.

"He already has given me some proof that he had some logical ideas going on. Warped ideas, but perfectly logical." I worried as I read his thick black font.

"I see…" I hit enter and sighed.

"What?" He asked me in regards to my pretty purple font response.

"Well you know I might not like The Joker all to much."

He began typing a reply. "Yeah I know you don't like him. I don't really like him either. I also thought about doing the article so I could figure out why he took you." Ryan began to type something else but stopped.

I starred at his font. We knew why he took me, for ransom. Ryan should know that, he was right here with my father and Bruce when it happened. I was puzzled. He cared, but why? Why was he still talking to me? Why was he still around? I heard a car pull into the driveway; Bruce was here to pick me up finally.

"I have to go now. Bye." I told him and signed off before he had any time to type good-bye.

I glided to the door as Bruce rung the doorbell.

"Coming!" I sung loudly so he could hear me through the door. "Aloha amigo."

"Uh…hi." He laughed. He was wearing a dress shirt and dress pants. "Very nice language skills." He put his arm out for me to take.

"Merci Nachos." I said as I took him arm.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I slammed my laptop shut. She hadn't even responded to my last comment. I bet it was Bruce who was taking her somewhere. Why else would she wait to go somewhere? I bet she had put on her sweet smelling perfume and curled her long eyelashes back to make her beautiful big eyes stand out even more. I bet she was wearing a nice little dress showing lots of skin. All for him, and him alone.

I really couldn't stand that cocky jerk before, but now I really hated him. If I hadn't been so shocked that day I found out, I would have done more then deck him in the face. Not that I really wanted to physically hurt him anymore then that, right? That was wrong. But I wanted to do it. Why did I want to do it? I knew why I wanted to do it, but I couldn't believe it. It wasn't me to think like that.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Daddy?" Morgan called as she entered the small house. She was greeted by a big hug from her father. He smiled and her, but his smile faded as he saw me standing there. "Daddy, I brought Bruce."

"I noticed." He said stiffly, yet calmly.

I stuck my hand out for him to shake. He shook it firmly while looking me over. I could fore see the night's events already.

"So," Gordon's wife had addressed to me once we were all seated for dinner. "What's it like owning Wayne Enterprises."

I had hoped they wouldn't bring up money or business. "It's…It's full of surprises." I said and everyone chuckled nervously. Gordon's son reached for some bread. "I basically finalize deals and such. I leave the rest of it to more interested men." I realised where I had got that line. I could only wish to be half the man my father was.

"Well, that's the important part isn't it?" She smiled in response.

"Have you ever met Batman?" Gordon's son eagerly asked.

"No." I said, wishing to drop the other subject I didn't want to talk about.

"I don't know what he is doing anymore." Gordon piped up. "After that night at the night club. He got a mean beating. I haven't heard from him about it yet." He cut his pork chop with ease. "A little bit of me is actually," He paused and relaxed his arms from cutting. "Worried."

I smiled weakly in response. I was still sore from that struggle, and wasn't ready to tell him what had happened. Not as Bruce Wayne, but as Batman. If anything, it was shameful. A bunch of thugs had caught me suddenly. I was too intent on spying, that I didn't see them coming up behind me. While I had tried my best to fight them they hit me with boards and kicked me in the sides. I managed to fight them off and get away.

"Can you pass the mashed potatoes Bruce?" Morgan asked me from my right.

I reached my arm out and winced in pain as the muscle in my side tensed. "Here." I said through my teeth, trying to hide the intense pain I felt.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Bruce pulled his car into my driveway. The car ride had been mostly silent. Bruce was probably relieved the night was over, even though it hadn't gone to bad at all. I was too nervous to talk because I wanted to ask Bruce to come inside when he dropped me off, but I was to shy. We sat there in silence until I cleared my throat.

"Do you want to come inside?" I had made myself realise that he most likely wouldn't reject my invitation.

"Um. I can't tonight." He said.

"What?" I said shocked and hurt. He had never been in my house before.

"I'm not feeling well." He fished.

"Fine." I opened the door of the car. "Whatever you say." I slammed the door shut and my sad walk up to the door turned into an angry jog.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The music was loud and hurt my ears. I didn't understand how people stood this noise. I watched the crowds as they entered the building. I spotted the same 5 guys who had jumped me the night before. I stayed in the shadows as I crept over to them. I crouched and listened to what they were saying.

"Boss said we have to keep an eye out for him again tonight." A tall blonde one said.

A dark skinned one replied. "I think we scared him off enough last night."

"I think he'll be back." A short round red haired thug said while he looked around. "An' if he does show up, we can kick his ass again."

"When will boss be done the deal?" The dark skinned one asked the blonde.

"I dunno, but we betta be gettin' paid soon."

I stopped listening once they moved away. I needed to find out what the deal was and who was involved. All I knew was the location, The Iceberg Lounge. People say that a strange little fellow owned it, greed, was his calling. He got other people to do his dirty work for him, but that's not to say he wouldn't happily do it himself.

I followed the men into the nightclub. They were heading to a back room behind the bar. I avoided the scanning lights for the dance floor. They left the door open a crack. I peaked in and saw that there was no place for me to hide in the room. I couldn't go in and cause a scene; I need help if I was to do that.

I felt a tapping on my shoulder as I stood in the darkness. Next thing I knew I was being thrown in to the room. I hit the floor and tried to hurry to my feet. Before I could, a chair slammed down on my back. I looked up to see the red head spit his drink out of his mouth.

"Look who came back." Cooed the tall blonde one. "Maybe we should finish him off here and now fellas?"

I got a blow to the back of the head.

"Out for a time of fun?" The dark skinned one bellowed as he kicked me in the leg. "We'll show you fun 'Batman'!" He mocked my name as he put me in a chokehold.

I kicked my leg out from under me. Once I had gotten a good grip I flipped him over my back and he smacked against a chair. My legs bulked as a metal bar hit me in the back of my shins. I fell to the floor and breathed heavily. The metal bar came and met my shoulder this time. I collapsed fully to the floor.

"This is almost TOO easy." The red head chuckled as he rammed his foot in my ribs.

I stumbled to my feet. I clumsily felt around for my weapons. I had no time to use them before I got another blow to my body. I swung back and grabbed the short redhead and kneed him hard in the back. He slumped down and lied there weeping in a daze. The others began to get more wary.

I managed to get enough strength to take them all down. I looked around the room and limped off to the door. There was an office, but it was empty. I search around. I looked everywhere I could. I grabbed several important looking documents off the top of the desk.

"The Penguin." I muttered, reading his nameplate on the desk.

I heard the door open to the main room. There was a confused rustle among the men. I stayed silent in the office. I heard them leave the room again. Knowing they wouldn't be gone for long, I hurried out of the room and headed to the back door. The men had come back just as I had reached the doorknob. With a clear shot, one sliced me with a knife. The suit had opened around the wound and I began to bleed. My already hurt torso weakened. I couldn't do anything but try and get away. The cut was deep and long. I slowly began to loose energy. I need Alfred to come pick me up somewhere. I couldn't find my cell phone. I was stuck here unless I found somewhere to hide, but I had to stop the bleeding. I couldn't walk into a hospital as Batman. I tried to see where I was again. My whole body was pounding, yet it was to numb to feel the pain. I was about ten blocks from the city. Morgan only lived four blocks from here…she was my best bet.

...

**If you scrolled down here before you read the rest of the chapter, then you are a cheater! XD. Jks. Poor Batman. :( He needs a hug. and a doctor.**


	12. Twelth Page Headline

**Wow. This one was like done in a day. XD. I am proud once again. Lol. I am tired. Like I almost fell asleep a few times during the night. (Its' one in the morning here now. Lol. Right on the dot.) I hope you like this one. I thought it was good. But I wrote it so I guess I have to say that. XD. Lol. Thanks and review.**

_One more block_, I had told my self over and over again. Every block was an accomplishment. The cut was stinging and my back was out of place. With every step a sharp pain ignited my joints. I could feel one of my toes swell in my boot. My head was pounding, making it harder to concentrate on my directions. I had already made 2 wrong turns and gotten lost for a few minutes. I didn't need anymore more incorrect detours. I stumped along the sidewalk of the nicer street. It was decorated with streetlights and garden gnomes. I realised I would be spotted out here in the open. I tumbled along the lawns, hiding in the shadows. I tripped on a smiling gnome. It just mocked me as I clambered to my feet. I searched around for Morgan's duplex. It was across this gnome filled yard.

A gnome with pointy ears and a large watering can sat right in the route of my swollen toe. It collided and I fell to the grass. I got back up and crouched low so I could see the remaining gnomes. Managing to get passed them all, I leaned against her shiny red car. I looked up at her house and saw that all the lights were out. I needed away to wake her up. I couldn't stand in the doorway with all the light; a curious neighbour may catch me standing there.

Her window had a small balcony out in front of it. I began to climb up the lattice carefully. I pulled my self up on her roof. Silently, I crawled my way across to her window. A little less graciously then I had intended, I leaped onto the balcony floor. I winced in pain as I hit the wound directly with my bent elbow during the collision with the wood. I heaved myself up against her window. I raised my arm to knock on her window. I hesitated, rethinking my plan to get her to help me, but I had already made it all this way. I dreadfully tapped my fist against her sliding glass door. I waited for a reply.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Dear Morgan,_

_I know you probably feel as if I am pestering you. But it is only because I haven't been able to finish what I want to say to you all those times we have talked. I am willing to forgive you. I really am, I promise. I am sorry for reacting in such a way as I did._

I scrunched up the letter and threw it with the others. Who sent letters anymore anyways? She wouldn't read it. She'd take one look at the address and throw it away. Sometimes I thought I was wasting my time, but I knew I loved her. She had been the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. But I knew she would be trouble, knew she would cause me pain. Pain only a girl like her can give. Well maybe it was time for me to give people pain. Share the pain I was feeling. Wasn't that only fair to do?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

'_Let go of me. I don't want to!'_

'_I love you!'_

'_I don't love you!'_

'_I don't care!'_

'_PLEASE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!'_

'_I will make you love me!'_

_A black distance began to close in around them. _

'_I don't want to go with you!'_

'_You're mine forever Morgan!'_

'_Why am I wearing a wedding dress?'_

_The people begin to smile. There is an alter and an organ being played._

'_Do you take Morgan Hilroy to be your wife?'_

'_I do.'_

'_Do you take Ryan Hunter to be your husband?'_

_NO! NO! NO! I tried to scream._

'_She is too lost for words. She says yes, I know she loves me.'_

_NO! NO! NO!_

'_You may now kiss the bride!'_

_Batman help me please!_

I sat up in my bed suddenly, shaking my head to get rid of the dream. Why had I said Batman? That was a bit weird. I looked at my alarm clock it was half past three. I guess I would go get a glass of water to calm me. As I walked past my window I saw a dark silhouette on my balcony. I froze, fear stricken. The figure didn't move. I crept over to my window and pushed back my curtains. It was a black heap of fabric. I slid the glass door open. I looked close at the ball. I pushed on it and it unfolded.

"HOLY SHIT! BATMAN IS DEAD!" I shrieked in a whisper. "Batman! Wake up! Please wake up!" I shook him viciously. "Wake up for goodness sakes!" His body didn't move. "Oh shit…oh shit…oh shit." I tried to look for a way to check his pulse. "I have to take his mask off." I began tugging at the mask.

"YOU'RE ALIVE!" I said as he squirmed. "I was just checking your pulse. I'm sorry." He moaned and tried to get up. "No, let me help you."

I placed one of his arms over the back of my neck and hauled him off the ground. He fell against the doorframe. He was heavy, I wasn't sure I could carry him. I took a deep breath and tried again, his body almost fully limp. He wheezed in agony as I pulled him in my room.

"It's okay. I'm going to help you. We will get you to a hospital."

I laid him on my bed and panted. I heard him mutter something.

"No hospital." He pleaded.

"Oh frig, yeah, I guess no hospitals." I turned on my overhead light.

He cringed. "Sorry, I need to see where you're hurt." I turned off the bright light and found a strong but dimmer lamp. "There, that's better. Now let's see where you're hurt."

"Oh my gosh." I saw the blood coated section of his suit with a line across his right side. "You were cut, really, really, really badly."

"Alfred." I heard him mutter something else.

"What did you say?"

He winced and tried to repeat his murmur. "Alfred."

I paused. "Did you just say Alfred?"

He nodded slowly, his hazel brown eyes meeting mine. "Alfred."

"Bruce?"

He nodded again then clutched his side.

"Bruce…Oh my God, We have to get you to a hospital! You're hurt!" I began to cry. He continued to shake his head. "Yes Bruce!"

"Alfred!"

I grabbed my cordless phone and began dialling the number of the penthouse.

A groggy Alfred answered the phone. "Hello…Wayne residents. May I ask…"

"Alfred! You need to come quick!"

"Miss Hilroy?"

"Yes, It's Morgan. Bruce is really hurt! He says he needs you; he won't go to a hospital! Alfred, please hurry!"

"But miss? Why is he there?"

"Alfred, please hurry!" I pleaded.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

All I remember is blacking out on the hard wood after no answer from Morgan. Her sudden shaking had stirred me but I was not strong enough to respond. I was forced to when she was about to lift my mask; I still hadn't known how to let her find out. Now she knew, and she had looked so shocked. But her shock seemed over powered be her need to help me. I knew she couldn't really do anything in the way of stitching me up; only Alfred could help me with that. And with the state of hysteria she was in, she wouldn't be able to keep her hands steady enough to do it anyways.

"Morgan." I groaned.

"Yes?" She said solemnly.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you right away."

She pulled off the mask. "I should have known! Oh my God, I should have known!" She blinked back some tears. "I guess I just never imagined…"

I let a faint smile cross my face quickly. She gazed at all my wounds, and me then flipped her hair back.

"We have to get you out of that suit. It's not good for the wound on your waist."

If it had been any other situation, she would have said that with a laugh and a wink, but she was too worried right now to do so. I just wanted to see her smile, but I knew she would give me a stern look if I tried to make her laugh right now. She had on that same stiff expression she had that day I was in her office. Anger, but now it was with a touch of miserable anxiety for when Alfred would arrive.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Bruce?"

I sat down on the side of my bed.

"He still asleep Miss?" Alfred called from downstairs.

"It appears so Alfred." I stroked back some of his blood clotted hair. "Shoot, it's bleeding again." I took a wet face cloth and wiped away the drying blood from his forehead. I rolled down the blanket to reveal his other cuts and scrapes, including the massive slash on his lower torso. I gently cleaned away at them again like I had earlier this morning once Alfred had arrived and given me strict instructions. I was to do this ever few hours and check his head for a fever. I didn't understand the fever part, but Alfred had just told me to do so. I also had to wake him up every so often. "Bruce?" I said again when I was done washing the cuts. "Bruce honey, wake up."

"Hmm." He moaned, not wanting to be disturbed.

"Let me see your head."

"My head is fine!" He fussed.

"Bruce." I flashed him an ominous glare. "Let me see you head."

He relaxed and I felt his head, which was fine as it had been when I first checked. I kissed him and told him thank you. I left the room to go downstairs and report his recovery to Alfred who was in the kitchen making dinner.

"It smells so good. What is it?"

"A special dish Miss." He held out a spoon for me to try.

I took a sip of the hot stew. "Wow, it's delicious."

"How is he?"

"He's doing fine." I began doing some dishes left over from the stew preparation. "He went back to sleep when I left the room."

"Well, that is good for him, just as long as he doesn't get a fever." He chuckled, trying to be light hearted about it.

I nodded as if I understood his reason behind the fever theory as I rinsed off the last dish. Then I wondered how long he had been out in the cold for until I had found him there. Then I understood why Alfred had said that. I stacked the dish with the others and drained the sink of the dirty soapy water.

"I'll be in my room Alfred, keeping a watch on him and such."

"Of course Miss Hilroy."

…

I walked off the elevator of the seventh floor. The familiar sounds rushed back towards me like needed air. I felt home, yet strangely out of place, for I knew this place was no longer my home. I fixed my soft navy blue top and fluffed my hair. I was back in a world of tough demanding girls; here I could get eaten alive with questions of my whereabouts.

"Morgan!" Came a voice.

"Sarah!" I said as I rolled my eyes, pausing before turning around to see her.

"Where have you been? It's been like weeks!"

"Yeah…it's just some stuff that's happened that's all." I made my way down the hall. "I have to go, nice seeing you again." I lied. "Bye."

Dashing into my lonely office, slamming to door behind me, I began to unfold the boxes. I pulled out stacks of paper and through the unimportant ones in the garbage, the important ones going in the brown boxes. I cleared off my desk of all my pictures, my pens, and my knick-knacks, all of it into the brown boxes. Once I had filled up two of them I heard a knock on my door. I had wanted to get in and out of here before he had found out I was back.

"Morgan, you're back…you're back to pack…" Ryan said as he came into my office and saw me closing the lids on the boxes.

It felt odd to see him in his work clothes and standing in my office doorframe as he had done so many times before. But those times were over and I was moving on. I was not going to work here anymore. I had made that decision the day I said yes to be with him. I just hadn't known that back then.

"Yeah. I'm resigning."

"You umm…need two weeks notice." He said softly, almost like a whisper.

"I'm pretty sure we both know I did that unofficially don't we Ryan?"

"I was hoping you would come back."

I frowned. "No Ryan."

He looked up at me with sad blue eyes. "Please?" He walked towards me. 'You can have that promotion!" He piped up eagerly.

"No Ryan." I said again. He was now standing right in front of me. "Excuse me." I said to him as I tried to get passed. He didn't budge. "Ryan."

He grabbed me and kissed me hard. I tried to get out but his grip was to tight. He let go and I tore away from him.

"How dare you!" I bellowed, slapping him sharply across the right side of his face.

"I'm sorry."

I grabbed my two boxes of belonging and began to storm out of my office.

"Don't you ever touch me again Ryan Hunter!" I turned around to face him. "I wish I had never dated you! Find someone else to replace me! It's not that hard!"

"Oh well not for you now is it! You already had me replaced before you got rid of me!"

"You're just sour because you hate Bruce Wayne!" I spat at him.

"You think that's why?"

"Yeah I do!"

"I love you! Don't you understand that?" He hollered from behind my desk.

"We went out for less then two weeks Ryan! You don't love someone that fast!"

"Yeah, well you sure sleep with them fast enough!" He stopped abruptly after the words had left his mouth.

"What did you just say to me?" I stuttered.

"You know what I meant." He choked nervously on his bold words.

I placed my fairly heavy boxes on the ground and headed towards him. I glared at him with unrecognizable anger.

"I loved you." He sputtered.

Covering my face with my hands I didn't know whether to laugh at him or cry for him.

"Please Ryan, stop it."

"No. I won't stop it until I get you back."

"You won't ever get me back okay Ryan!" He stepped towards me. "Do not come any closer Ryan."

"I can make you love me again!"

"Let go of me. I don't want to!"

"I love you!"

"I don't love you!"

"I don't care!"

"PLEASE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"I will make you love me!"

A black distance began to close in around me.

"Bruce."


	13. Unlucky Page Headline

**Longerish chapter. Hope you enjoy it. More will come hopefully by the weekend or after the weekend. Review. Thanks.**

* * *

"Master Wayne, you need your rest." Alfred lectured me for the third time that day. "We can't have you walking around quite yet."

I sighed at this response as I had done the past couple of times. I had been lying in Morgan's spare room for two days. I wasn't usually the type to sit around and do nothing. I didn't even want to imagine what was happening in the criminal world with out batman there, and it didn't seem like he would be there again for a while.

"Was that the doorbell Alfred?" I asked him as I heard the chimes from downstairs.

"I'm not sure sir." The bell rang again. "Ah, it is."

"Should you answer it?"

"I don't see why not, unless Miss Hilory will mind."

"I don't think she will." I replied while lying back down. "Where is she anyhow?"

"She went to the office to gather her belongings."

"Oh." I said tensely.

"I'll be right back Master Wayne." He said as he left the room.

"Don't worry," I began even though he was already out of earshot. "I'm not going anywhere."

I lied there in silence, once again starring at the ceiling. I wish I had talked to her before she went to the office. I didn't trust Ryan there with her. I lost my concentration on the speckled ceiling when I heard sobs coming from down stairs. I heard Alfred trying to calm the crying sounds. There was another voice that took me a while to figure out. I sat up quickly, feeling a sharp pain in my side. It was Gordon; I could not be seen here with all my unexplainable injuries.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

My nails were dug into the carpet. Every inch that they pulled me was one inch closer to the door, the door that would get me out of this office. Every time I made it somewhat farther he pulled me back by my ankles. My hands on the doorknob, I tried to turn it, my fingers feeling like limp spaghetti. His hand cupped my mouth and he dragged me away from the door. I couldn't figure out a way to get help. I couldn't scream, no matter how hard I tried. All that came out were silent sobs.

I needed an object, something to throw at him. I grabbed at picture frame and bashed it against the side of his head. He collapsed momentarily and I crawl towards the door again.

"Help!" I choked, only releasing a quiet whimper. "Help me! Please, somebody help me!" As my voice grew louder Ryan replaced his hand around my mouth. I took his wrist in my hands and bit down on his hand. He yelped out in pain and I scampered back to the door. I juggled the doorknob but it wouldn't open. "HELP!!" I screamed, finally projecting my voice loud enough for humans to hear.

"Shut up!"

"Don't you touch me!" I yelled at him as I took his wrist again and twisted it backwards.

"What's wrong?" There was a repetitive knocking on the door.

He grabbed him and held my face to the ground so I couldn't yell.

"Everything is fine, get back to work." He instructed her.

"But there was yelling for help." The voice explained.

"Just a research video." He lied.

The voice hesitated. "Are you sure? It sounded pretty real…where's Morgan?"

"Morgan is here with me…watching the video."

"There was some smashing we heard too…"

"Everything," He said while struggling to hold me down. "Is fine."

I was beginning to over power him, as he grew tired of the struggle. I took my elbow and rammed it into his right rib cage. He tried to hold in his slur of curse words. I dashed across the office to the door again.

"Rape! The door is locked! Please help me!"

"Morgan?" The person on the other side of the door asked worryingly.

"Yes! It's me!" I recognized the voice. "Sarah! Sarah! Help!"

"Oh my God! WE NEED HELP!"

I looked back over at Ryan. He was on the ground hugging his ribs. I grabbed my clothes that were a few feet away from me as he got up. Sobbing in relief and terror, I backed up as far as I could to get away from him. The door banged open and a security guard stepped in. It was all over.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The crying grew closer, coming up the stairs and going down the hall. I made my way slowly to the closet as I heard Gordon's voice grow louder. I had realised why Alfred said to lie down and rest. Standing made me feel nausea and added pressure on my side. I squeezed my self in to the little closet, fighting back the urge to groan from the pain. I stood there for several minutes until I was found in the closet, my heart racing as the door began to open. A very grim and pale looking Alfred stood in front of me.

"You may come out now Master Wayne." He said quietly. "Commissioner Gordon is gone." He sounded sad and disturbed.

"What happen? Why was he here? And who was crying?" I moaned as I sat down on the bed again.

"He brought Morgan home." He began.

"Didn't she take her own car?"

"Yes, yes she did."

"Then why did her father bring her home?" I started to get impatient.

"Master Wayne, I wish for you to keep your temper about this." Alfred hesitated.

I adjusted myself on the bed, looking up at him confused. "What are you getting at Alfred?" My temper was rising even simply by his request.

"Morgan was raped." Alfred heaved his shoulders and frowned. "By Mr. Hunter."

I bolted up not remembering my numerous injuries. Alfred reached out and stopped me, pushing me back down on the bed.

"I said keep your temper Master Wayne. The law has dealt with it. They have in him in custody." He let go of me. "There will be a trial. She will get the justice she deserves. Right now, rest, and let her rest. She will come to us when she is ready. For now she wants to be alone."

"I can't just let it go Alfred!"

"Well then what can you do about it?"

"I'll think of something."

"Go into the police station and take a whack at him sir?"

"Maybe." I mumbled.

He smiled in slight amusement. "You can barely walk sir."

I looked at him warningly. "I would run to that police station. No one hurts her."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Dear Journal,_

_Two weeks it had been since the incident. And it would be a few more weeks they kept saying before there would be a trial. Bruce was up and walking around. Once he had gotten well enough to walk, Alfred said it was time to take him back home. I have spent the last four nights since they left getting barely any sleep. I can't stand being alone in the house. Everything in the dark is ten times as frightening. I pulled out my old night-light. It lets me at least see what the shapes are in my room. _

_While Bruce and Alfred were here after the incident, I barely came out to see them. Alfred told me to go see Bruce, but I couldn't. Once he was okay to walk down the hall with out Alfred's support, he came frequently, knocking on the door asking me to talk to him. My father called everyday giving me updates and asking how I was. Everything was turned upside down. I wanted to just run into Bruce's arms, but I never wanted to be touched. It was like their skin would burn my own. I hated what I had become, the mess that had been created from this. I now know why Bruce was Batman. He stopped people that did things like that to women, he stopped murderers, he stopped thieves, and he protected a lot of people. I felt this rage inside me that wanted revenge. I knew that justice would come when the trial was held. But I didn't want the justice to happen to just Ryan. Others deserved it too. Others deserved to be locked up. I wanted to make sure this never happened to anyone else._

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Morgan?" I said to her answering machine. "Please pick up the phone." I sighed. "Well, you know who called. And…I was thinking if you don't you know…" I tried to avoid the word. "If you don't have a job anymore…you can always come work a Wayne Enterprises. Even for just a little bit. Who knows, you may like it." I paused. "I hope you'll call me back. Bye." I went to hit end on the phone.

"Bruce wait."

"Yeah?"

"I…maybe."

"Maybe?" I edged her on.

"Mm hmm."

"Okay." I switched the phone to the other ear. "Do you want me to pick you up tomorrow? Or do you need more time…"

"Tomorrow."

"Okay, tomorrow at nine." I was glad I could finally see her. "Where do you want to work?"

"With nobody else."

"Uh…" I lost most of the hope I had gotten of her recovery.

"Where does nobody go at Wayne Enterprises?" She asked promptly. It had been two weeks and I had never heard her speak this much but she was still antisocial.

"Applied Sciences…"

"Okay."

"Are you sure, I mean you can always change your mind later. It's no problem."

"Yeah it's fine. I'll see you there tomorrow." She said stiffly before hanging up on me.

I put the phone down and rubbed my face with my hands. The pain in my side still hurt but it was nothing compared to what this was doing to me.

"Who was that Master Wayne?" Alfred asked as he walked out of the kitchen.

"Morgan." I muttered.

"She picked up the phone?" He said perking up.

"Yeah."

"Is she any better sir?" Alfred asked, eager to hear if she had recovered yet.

"Barely." I huffed, leaving the living room and heading in to my room.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Dear Journal,_

_Bruce gave me a job. I really need a job. I haven't had a paycheck in about a month. All my money that I saved up is gone. I had to use it to pay the bills. I don't want to go to work. I don't want to go anywhere. My father has been bringing me groceries when I ask for them. He seems happy when he sees me, but sad too. I would be sad too if my daughter sat in her house alone sulking all day. I found a stray cat outside. It was hungry so I gave it some tuna. It keeps coming back. Maybe I'm not really alone. I don't want to become a crazy cat lady though._

_I miss Bruce. It was nice of him to offer me that job. But, it's not like I really need to date anymore of my bosses. But I think it will be different with Bruce, that's the only reason I accepted. I mean, he's only the owner right? Really, someone else is the boss. Bruce doesn't officially run EVERYTHING! So I wouldn't be dating my boss again. I will never do that again. I will only work for females or unattractive men. But I know it's time for me to leave the house. I am taking this slow Journal. Something I have to learn to do. Maybe I will right that book about what not to do with a job. I should have done that in the past weeks I have sat here alone. _

I talked to Bruce today. He was nice. I want to talk to him more. But this is good for now. I will eventually talk more, but not now. Now, I take it slow. All this has been too much. I need to slow it down. It's the closest I can get to going backwards. I tried to make everything stop, but I wanted something's to still happen. If I go slow Journal, I can watch my mistakes, and then I won't want to go backwards anymore. All I will want to do is go forwards. And that's what makes you go through life. Not wanting to take things back. You don't get anywhere by not going towards what you want.

I looked at what I had just written. I think I was healed. It was as easy as that. Those few sentences were everything that I had been trying to realise.

_I'm glad daddy bought you for me. He was right, letting it all out in you would really help me. It has._

…

The building was huge. I gulped back pure terror. I would enter that building and pass out I know it. Even if I had been in there already, now I felt so small. I felt a gentle hand touch my back. I jumped and turned around to see Bruce beside me. He smiled at me.

"Hey. It's good to see you."

I hugged him. He looked shocked after I let go.

"Hi."

"So…" He stumbled. "You're better now?"

"Yeah, yeah I think I am."

"Am I allowed to kiss you?" He asked nervously as we began walking up the front stairs.

I shook my head.

"What…"He said slowly.

"Not yet." His eyes were kind but heartbreaking. "Well, lit-lit-little ones." I stuttered shyly. "I want to take it slow."

"Slow…" He nodded in thought. "How slow?"

"Slow."

"Slow as in no sex?" He said bluntly.

I stopped walking up the steps.

"I mean…" He retracted. "I understand if you don't want to do that for awhile."

"That's not the reason."

"Well…why stop if we have already…"

He had a point.

"Because…"

"Because why?" He said childishly, whether he intended to or not.

I fumbled over a reason. "Because…because…because I said so!" I turned and headed back up the steps with Bruce still standing on a step too stumped to move. "Are you coming?"

He looked up at me and nodded.

I was right about the inside being huge and terrifying to me now. Bruce took my hand and guided me to the elevator. I followed like a child in a giant mall for the first time, looking at everything around me, taking it all in, trying to look brave when all I wanted to do was cry.

We walked out of the elevator after a comfortable silent ride up to the top. Jessica was sitting at her desk doing paper work. She looked up at us as Bruce greeted her. She glanced at me quickly and lowered her eyes back to her paper work.

"Good morning." She said back.

"Hi." I said meekly.

A door open to the left and a man stepped out. He was wearing a gray suit and a bow tie.

"Ah, Mr. Wayne." He said cheerfully, walking over to us and shaking Bruce's hand. "And you must be Morgan." He stuck out his hand for me to shake.

I slowly out stretched my arm and shook it.

"Yeah." I replied.

"I'm Mr. Fox. But you can call me Lusicious if you'd like." He smiled kindly, making me relax a bit more. "I hear you want to work down in Applied Sciences."

"Yes."

"Quite a coincidence isn't it." He looked at Bruce with amusement.

I saw Bruce shrug and mouth something.

"Oh." Mr. Fox raised his eyebrows. "She knows."

I looked over at Jessica as she raised her head to eavesdrop on our conversation. She saw my gaze and dropped her head back down and went back to work. I didn't really know much about Bruce being Batman; we had never really talked about it come to think of it. I thought Alfred was the only one that knew.

"How many people know?" I asked too quietly for Jessica to over hear.

"Only you three." Bruce whispered to me, indicating Alfred as well. "Are you okay to go down with Mr. Fox? I don't have enough time to go down with you, I tried to get things moved but I couldn't."

I looked over at Mr. Fox who was watching me with gentle eyes. "Yes." I said. "I'm fine."

…

Applied Sciences was in the very bottom of Wayne Tower, the end of the road. The lights hummed loudly and hurt my eyes a bit with they flickered. Mr. Fox chuckled.

"Spent quite a few years down here myself." He stopped abruptly. "I am going to ask you the same thing I asked Mr. Wayne when he sent himself down here." He looked at me over his glasses. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to…" I realised my reason was sad and pathetic. "I wanted to learn applied sciences."

"I am also going to tell you what I told Mr. Wayne when he said things like that. Don't take me as an idiot."

"I…I…I didn't want to work with people."

"Oh thank goodness. I thought you were going to come up with some crazy scheme like him and want to use all the equipment." He laughed with relief.

"Equipment?"

"Hmm?"

"What equipment?" I asked curious to find out.

"Oh…but you have thought about it."

"I didn't think about the equipment part."

"Well," He started. "I think this is a different situation…"

"But…I could just borrow it." I said sweetly. "Can I see it all at least?"

"That can't hurt I suppose."

"Really?" I said getting excited. "Thank you!" I thought for a second. "Where are the suits?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I rushed out of the meeting and into my office. I threw my papers down on my desk and ran to the elevator. I took the endless elevator ride down to Applied Sciences. Fox had been down there with her for nearly 3 hours. The elevator opened and I hopped out. Fox was standing beside a desk dusting off some selves.

"How is she?" I said.

"Mr. Wayne!" He finished dusting. "She's doing magnificent."

I looked around for her. "Where is she?"

I heard someone coming from another direction.

"Bruce!" Her voice came and she walked around a stack of metal boxes. She emerged in a black armoured body suit.

My jaw dropped.

"I'm Bat woman!" She said giggling.

I glanced over at Fox who was laughing with her. "I thought I would let her try it on at least." He said.

"Change back into your regular clothes. Get out of that." I said strictly.

"But why…" She questioned, her smiled turned into a frown.

"Please, just get out of it."

"Mr. Wayne." Fox tried to calm me.

"You're not working in Applied Sciences anymore." I said to her.

"Bruce…" She pleaded.

"Take it off!" I growled, heading back to the elevator. I couldn't look at her in the suit.

"Mr. Wayne." Fox called after me. "She was just trying it on, no harm done."

"I said to take it off, I don't want to see her in that. I don't want her getting any ideas." I didn't want her to make another monster.


	14. Fourteenth Page Headline

**New Chapter. Happy Thanks Giving. I'm really tired. I probably made alot of mistakes. I proof read it, but i'm like really tired, so yeah. I think I got most of them though. So Enjoy. Review. Thanks.**

* * *

"I do think you were a little harsh Master Wayne."

"I do think you were a little harsh Master Wayne." Alfred studied me with his eyes.

"I had my reasons Alfred." I flicked the television off.

He frowned at me. "That's not the point."

I sighed while getting up and heading to my room. "Yes it is Alfred. That's EXACTLY the point."

"Sir did you even happen to…"

I cut him off. "I had my reasons Alfred, if anyone should understand that, it should be you!" I slammed my door behind me, leaving Alfred standing there by himself.

"Did you ever, " He started again. "Think that maybe she was happy sir?" He paused. "That you could have just humoured her?"

I stood in my room and didn't comment back.

"And maybe," Alfred said loudly so I could hear him. "You could actually finish a discussion without walking away sir."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Why did you yell at me to take it off?" I asked him.

"Because."

"Bruce!"

His eyes were confusing. They were angry and miserable.

I sat down beside him on my couch. "Because is not an answer."

"I just don't want you to getting hurt." He said looking at me with his confusing eyes.

"Bruce, I was just joking around." I lied.

"I'm sorry okay." He sighed.

"Okay…" I looked down at the floor and rolled my eyes. "So am I."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I walked into the courthouse, an officer on each arm. The whole courthouse was full. I gazed over to the other table and saw Morgan sitting with her lawyer. Behind her in the first row was Bruce. He watched me fiercely, his eyes burning a hole in the back of my head while they pushed me down into a seat. Morgan kept her eyes firmly on the judge's bench.

"Court is now in session!"

I was heaved up and pulled over to the stand. I sat down in the seat beside the judge's bench and looked out at the courtroom. Bruce kept his eyes on me the whole time; I don't even think he blinked.

"Ryan Jacob Hunter, you are accused of raping Miss. Morgan Hilroy." The judge bellowed out into the courtroom.

I spotted Morgan's father standing on the left side of the room. I did not enjoy getting arrested by him. That's probably the worse thing that could happen to you, getting arrested by the victim's father, who already hates you.

"How do you plead?"

I had no point in denying what had happened. If I said I was guilty, I got less time.

"Guilty." I said emotionlessly while I held my stare with Bruce's.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I need another suit." I said to Fox.

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"Going through them fast."

"Well you know, dangerous things happen."

Fox raised an eyebrow and placed the tip of his glasses to his lips. "You're really going back out there?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"It's not my place." He said, smiling politely.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I shuffled down the aisles of jail cells. I was beginning my jail stint of eight years, five to six years with good behaviour. My handcuffs were removed and I was tossed into the very last cell at the end.

"Oh, well hello." My cellmate welcomed me.

I waited for him to look up before I said anything.

"How's the girl trouble going?" Joker grinned and licked his lips. "When I meant get her back…I didn't mean rape her…I am thinking I am a bad influence on you." He pouted. "I hope it's not my doing." He laughed. "Or maybe, ' he shrugged. "You like that kind of stuff." Joker began to walk towards me. "I myself was never for raping. I prefer other things." He stopped a foot away from me. "Orange is not your colour."

"I thought they weren't allowing you cellmates."

"What? Worried I'll kill you in your sleep or something?" He howled with laughter.

"No…" I lied, that was exactly it.

"Ran out of cells."

I still wasn't use to seeing him with out his makeup on. His scars were slightly disturbing and I avoided eye contact with him.

"How many years?" He asked me grinning.

"Eight years."

"Don't worry." He laughed.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I didn't expect to be seeing you again."

"What do you mean?"

"We all thought you were dead." He chuckled. "Though, I may be the only one hoping you weren't actually dead."

"What's been happening?"

"Too much." Gordon sighed. "That case you took on, I didn't hear about it."

"I did my own research."

"Well, I guess you have to do that lately don't you?"

"Seeing as your cops won't help me."

He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I know." He slipped them back on before continuing. "Doesn't mean they can't do something." He glanced through a window to see if anyone was watching. "They can always think that you have nothing to do with it." He shook his head. "They all know you had some involvement in it."

"Maybe it would be best if they didn't know of my comeback." I suggested, climbing on to his deck railing.

"You mean have them believe that you're dead?"

I squatted down on the railing. "Yes."

"That's a bit…" He stopped when he noticed I was already gone. "Okay…night…I suppose." He murmured quietly to himself as he stepped back into his house.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Mr. Fox." I called when I entered the top floor of Wayne Enterprises. "Are you there?"

"Oh, hello!" He greeted me in his usual cheerful voice. 'What brings you here to my office?"

"It's about that day down in Applied Sciences."

"Oh." He said in a more solemn tone.

I fiddled with my fingers. "That suit…"

"Mr. Wayne was very angry about that Miss."

"I know…"

"You still want to borrow it don't you?" He smirked.

"No…" I smiled childishly.

"You don't have another car do you?"

He tilted his head back and laughed. "The Tumbler?"

"Yeah…"

"I'm afraid not. Mr. Wayne totalled the only one we had."

"I see. I never did quite like his driving."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Mom!" I yelled as I ran down my steps to meet her on the driveway. "I thought you were in Sweden for 3 months!"

"Oh, I thought that too honey. I thought I would come back early."

"Why!"

"You can only take so much snow and cold weather Morgan."

"Yeah that's true." I took one of her bags. "Come inside. I didn't expect you for a bit so the spare rooms a little worse for wear."

"You've had other guest?"

"Uh…" I realized that sounded suspicious. "Well I had to put some extra stuff in there and things." I lied. "I can clean it easily for you, don't worry."

"Thank you for letting me stay here after my trip honey, my place isn't ready for another week or two."

"Oh it's no problem."

"I might just stay a few days, Charles is coming back from Sweden a bit later then me, and I might stay with him in a hotel."

Charles is my mother's boyfriend. They have been dating for 5 years now. He still has yet to ask her to marry him. He is fairly rich and likes to travel and buy houses in different countries. I never liked him. He actually reminds me of some vile creature. Him and my mother bought a condo here in Gotham city. I still don't know where it is, probably somewhere fancy though, so he can rub it in peoples faces. His voice sounds like a car engine that never actually starts, and makes you feel like a jackhammer is out of control in your brain.

"You're still with him?"

"Yes honey." She followed me inside my front door. "I really do like your taste in houses."

"I really don't like your taste in men."

"Hey, you watch it young lady, I did marry your father."

"Yes, but you divorced him."

"Let's not go there."

"I wasn't going to."

"No more talk about how much you hate Charles."

"Fine." I dropped the bag on the floor. "I hate Charles." I ran up the stairs before my mother could say anything else.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I jogged up Morgan's drive way and knocked on the door. An older woman opened stood there when it opened.

"What in the world!" She gasped when she saw me, placing her left hand on her heart.

"Hello…" I cleared my throat. "I'm Bruce Wayne." I stuck out my hand for her to shake.

"Oh I know who you are gorgeous." She looked me up and down. "Why are you here at my daughters house?"

"You're her mother!" I exclaimed. "I was here for dinner."

"MORGAN!" She screamed up towards the ceiling. "Come in darling." She guided me, moving aside and letting me slip past her.

"My little Morgy Porgy got her self a billionaire!"

"MOM!"

"Morgy Porgy?" I smirked at her.

"SHUT UP!" She shrieked. "Mother!"

Her mother shook her head and giggled bratishly. "Oh don't be so touchy Morgan!" She looked at me again. "You are very fine."

"Mother!" Morgan fussed, dragging her mother up the stairs and into the kitchen. "Start making some potatoes." She ordered her mother while she came back out of the kitchen.

"You never said your mother was going to be here." I whispered in her ear as I kissed her on the cheek.

"I didn't know she was going to be here. I thought there was still another week or so till she came back." She brushed my hair away from my eyes. "She showed up today and had all her stuff."

"Oh look at you too!" Her mother cooed from the kitchen doorway.

Morgan shoved her face in my chest and I could feel her blow air out of her nose in frustration.

"I'm Charlene by the way." She smiled at me. "Morgan! Don't do that to his shirt! You'll wrinkle it!"

Morgan stopped scrunching little balls of my shirt in her hands while her face was still shoved against it.

"POTATOES MOTHER!"

"Okay, okay!" Charlene frivolously waved her hand in the air and returned to the kitchen.

I held Morgan's face in my hands. She pouted at me.

"Don't worry." I told her, giving her a peck on the lips. We heard her mother complaining about the margarine not being real butter. Morgan hid her face in my chest again and moaned. "Aw, Morgan, don't be like that. She's not that bad."

"And don't you two worry!" She hollered from the kitchen. "I won't interrupt you two! You two go and get your thang on!"

"Oh lord." Morgan cried into my shirt.

"Okay," I rubbed her back. "When is she leaving?"

…

"Oh dinner looks lovely sweetie!" Charlene swooned. "You did very well on the roast beef!"

"Thanks Mom."

"You made Alfred's soup." I said in surprise after I took a sip.

"Yep." She smiled. "He taught me how to make it."

"Who's Alfred?" My mother asked.

"Oh, Bruce's butler." Morgan informed her mother.

"Charles was thinking of getting a butler for the new place." Her mother said taking a bite of her roast beef. "I think it would be a good idea."

I witnessed Morgan stab her meat a little too violently and her fork screeched across her plate. She quickly ignored the minor outburst of anger and shoved the meat in her mouth.

"Charles is your husband?" I asked her mother.

"Oh, no not yet. He hasn't purposed…but it should be coming soon."

"Yeah right." Morgan muttered to her self.

"Excuse me young lady. Don't be so negative about our relationship."

"Don' be so optimistic."

Charlene took a sip of wine and looked me in the eyes. "Morgan doesn't approve of my Charles."

Morgan glared at her mother before she smothered her mashed potatoes with a continuous flow of gravy.

"Gravies bad for you sunshine!" Charlene lectured her, stretching her arm across the table and tipping the gravy bowl upwards to stop it from flooding Morgan's plate. "You don't want to get fat."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I cannot believe my mother." I said to Bruce as he came up behind me in the kitchen.

He kissed me on the back of the head and nodded. "She said she was going to her room for the night." He put his hands on my hips. "So she'll leave us alone."

I placed the last dish on the drying rack and turned around, leaning my butt on the edge of the counter. "Yeah?" I played with his collar. "I guess that is true." He kissed my nose. "Want to watch a movie?"

"I suppose so." He shrugged, kissing my ear this time.

"That tickles." I squirmed. "Lets go and watch it down stairs on that television."

"There are some movies there." I pointed to the cabinet once we got down stairs. "Pick one."

"I've never been down here." Bruce wandered around. "Cool, it's like a secret door thing." He said with excitement. "I have some of those."

"Don't open that!"

He jumped back from the door. "Sorry."

I realized I had left it open a tad. "It's just full of shit. It might all collapse on top of you if you open it up."

"Oh okay." He nodded, walking away from it.

"Hey, let's watch this movie." He said, picking up a DVD box.

"Which one?"

"War of the Worlds."

"Oh, yeah sure. Put it in." I said to him as I pushed the door back in to the wall.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I looked down at Morgan, her head on my shoulder, asleep. I slowly moved out from under her and carefully laid her down on the futon. I walked around the back of it and pulled it downwards to make it a bed. I grabbed a blanket from a basket under the coffee table and draped it over her. I crawled in beside her and wrapped my arm around her. She began to stir.

"Oh, I was trying not to wake you up." I said to her quietly when she opened her eyes and looked over at me beside her.

"Mm, it's okay." She said sleepily.

I kissed her. "Go back to sleep if you want." I blew a piece of hair away from her face.

She rested her head against my chin and I felt her body give a sigh and then relax. I wrapped my arms around her again and closed my eyes. Her hair brushed against my chin and she kissed it.

"Bruce?" She whispered.

I opened my eyes and saw her wide-awake. "Yes?"

"You are very good to me." She stroked my faced. "Thank you."

Puzzled by her sudden gratitude, I just smiled at her and nodded. "I care about you."

"I know you do." She smiled while she kissed me.

I kissed her lips back, my hands running through her hair. It was soft and wavy, slipping through my fingers like ribbons. Her lips were sweet and smooth and felt amazing against my own. The kissing began to speed up, our gasps for air getting louder.

I was wondering if this was what she considered going slow. I wasn't sure how far we would be going. I wanted to just keep going and not remind her of her commitment to this new moral she had. But I felt guilty doing so.

"Morgan?" I breathed heavily as I pulled away from her. She went to kiss me again, but I stopped her. "You said…" She kissed me again and I pushed her away. 'You said that…" She managed to kiss me again even after my best efforts to stop her. "I pulled away again. "You said that you wanted to take it slow." I spat our quickly as she came in for another kiss.

She stopped and looked at me and smiled. "Damn you." She giggled and kissed my forehead. "See, you do care about me."

"Wait…you mean that was a test?" I stuttered.

"Yeah and you passed."

"I didn't get to finish the bonus question though…" I teased her.

She kissed me on the lips once more. "Cute." She kissed my neck. "You get an extension to finish your test."

…

I woke up an hour or two later. Morgan was curled up against me. I slipped off the futon and headed to the bathroom across the room. It looked barely ever used. There was a small counter with a sink in it. The shower had no shampoos or anything. I realised how large this duplex was, especially for just one person.

I came out of the bathroom and headed back to the futon. I tripped over an object in the dark and fell against the wall. I heard a noise and felt the wall push against me. I crawled across the floor a bit and stood up. The door creaked open and nothing fell out. In fact, there wasn't really anything in there. Nothing fell out, nothing collapsed down upon me.

I walked towards the closet. There was a light in it, but I didn't want to wake up Morgan. I glimpsed inside it. I could see nothing but blackness. I grabbed my cell phone and shined the light into it to see what it contained.


	15. Fifteenth Page Headline

**This one took a bit. I got some writer's block, but I turned on good old Queen and I was able to write. XD. So yeah, more soon in about a week maybe. Enjoy. Review. Thanks.**

"Bruce?" I said as I rolled over on the futon. He quickly turned around and shut his cell phone. "What are you doing?"

"You said this closet was packed full." He snapped at me.

"It is."

"No…it's not. I have it open Morgan."

"There are two closets Bruce." I rubbed my eyes and snorted. "Come on Bruce close it and get back to sleep."

"Oh." He flustered.

I watched him close it and place his cell phone back in his leather jacket. I was hoping it was to dark for him to see that there was only one closet. I would have to find a new place to store it.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I think that's a wonderful choice Miss Hilroy."

I frowned at Alfred's complement. "Morgan, I thought you liked it over at Wayne Enterprises?"

"Bruce," She touched my arm with her elegant hands. "I do and it was very nice of you to offer me this job, but I really like this new offer I got."

"Miss Hilroy can do whatever she likes Master Wayne." Alfred scolded me.

I nodded and smiled at her. "I understand that. I guess you should take the job if it makes you happy."

Her whole face lit up like a freshly decorated Christmas tree. "I'm glad I have your approval Bruce."

"Not that you needed it miss!"

"I know Alfred." She smiled at him sweetly. "Thank you."

I puffed my cheeks up and released the air. "A librarian just doesn't seem like you."

"Well if you ask me Bruce," She raised a perfectly tweezed eyebrow at me. "You just don't seem to fit the Batman figure."

"Oh, very funny." I humoured her as she smirked at me and then at Alfred who gave a little laugh.

"I'm not a librarian yet." She defended her self. "I'm just an apprentice."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I told you I wasn't coming around for awhile." I grumbled at Gordon as I approached him on the roof.

"I know."

I folded my arms in front of my chest and starred at him in silence.

"I needed some more information about this sudden plan of yours." He spilled.

I kept my strong gaze on him as I spoke deeply. "What don't you understand? I lay low for awhile and you play along."

"That's what I don't understand."

"You just act like you haven't heard from me." He let out a deep breath of night air. "Don't use that anymore unless for emergencies." I directed Gordon's view to the skylight. "For now, Batman is dead."

The roof door opened and I ran off before anyone could see me, leaving Gordon standing there still just as confused as he was before.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The bag of stuff I was trying to carry was extremely heavy and awkward. I had already tried to walk normally down the street to my car with it, resulting in my tripping over a fire hydrant, a dog leash and a crack in the sidewalk. I hadn't realised these items would be so heavy. I thumped up against my car ungracefully and heaved the bag up over the door and into the back seat. I was glad it was getting warmer out so I could drive with the top down. Not that in Gotham City, leaving your top down was the safest thing to do.

"Miss…miss…miss…"

"Uh sorry, I don't have any change."

"But…you look like a well off lady…I take bills!"

"I'm sorry. No. I only have credit cards on me."

"That's an awful lot of stuff in that bag." He pointed to the plastic bag I had just put in my backseat. "What's in it?"

"Excuse me, that's none of your business."

He stumbled towards my car. I winced as his dirty hands touched my shiny clean paint. I grabbed his arm and pulled it away from my bag of items. He stumbled backwards and goggled his unsteady eyes at me, swaying back and forth in the wind. He walked away while mumbling quietly to himself.

"Oh thank goodness." I gasped, holding on to my passenger door in relief.

"Did you hear?" I heard a voice say.

"Hear what?" Another voice responded.

I tucked my hair behind my ears and wiped off my car where the man had touched it.

"Batman is dead."

I jumped at what the person walking by had said, falling to the sidewalk. Everyone turned to look at the klutz that just randomly collapsed onto the sidewalk.

"Did you just say Batman is…dead?" I choked out while I struggled to steady myself.

"Yeah." The girl said. "It was in the paper."

I grabbed the paper from her as she held it out for me to take. Holding on to the parking meter beside me I skimmed the front page article. I hadn't seen Bruce since two days ago. He could be dead! I mean it already almost happened right?

"Can I keep this…?" I stuttered as I looked at the girl.

"Yeah sure, I read it all anyways." She stopped for a second before walking away. "Hey, aren't you that girl?"

"Huh?"

"That got kidnapped by The Joker?"

"Oh, yeah that's me." Honestly, I hadn't even thought about that since all the stuff that has happened. It's just something that happened now, just another thing. "Thank you." I nodded as I held the paper up and ran to the other side of my car.

...

I ran off the elevator and went colliding through the penthouse door, sending Alfred's tray of food in the air.

"HE'S DEAD!" I shrieked waving the paper in the air.

Alfred looked at me in worry. "Who is dead Miss Hilroy? Who?"

I breathed heavy as the air came rushing back to me. "BATMAN! BRUCE! ALFRED!"

He chuckled as I stood there with my hands dangling at my side in bewilderment. He placed the empty messy tray on the table beside him and directed his arm over to the living where Bruce was sitting on the couch with the same newspaper.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS! YOU ASSHOLE! YOU MADE ME THINK YOU WERE DEAD!" I shrieked at him, tossing down my newspaper on his lap.

"If I was dead, then there would have been a story on that."

I stood there with my mouth open for a reply to emerge but nothing came out.

"I guess I should have told you."

"What…told me that you killed Batman?"

"Yeah that would pretty much be it."

"I'll go prepare your food again sir." Alfred nodded scurrying off to the kitchen.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"MORGAN!"

"Yes Mother?"

"Where are my Egyptian sheets?"

"On the bed."

"Oh okay, thank you honey."

My mother was moving into her apartment early. She still hasn't mentioned where it was. I was ordered to help with the packing of all her stuff. She was hopeless with organizing her own belongings; she was never good at doing things for herself really. I guess that's mean to say about my mother, but, she really wasn't very handy. I had told her five times already her "expensive Egyptian sheets' were on her bed in the spare room.

"So mom where is this place?"

"Oh, I have no idea, I leave that stuff up to Charles."

I stopped stuffing her suitcase with sweaters and looked at her. "You don't even know where you're going to live."

"Well of course I know!" She laughed pretentiously. "I have gone to see it!"

"But you don't know the address?"

"Oh, no I don't darling. That's why I have a driver!"

I sighed. "Oh Mother."

"Yes darling?"

"I wasn't…never mind. Just…forget it." I slipped through my clenched teeth.

"Oh!" She perked up. "It's around lots of other buildings!"

I thumped my head on the dresser as I was emptying the second drawer from the top. "Just show me when we get there Mother." I shoved the last remaining items of hers into the suitcase and slammed it shut, zipping up the edges tightly. "That's it. You're all packed. So we are ready to go."

"Okay, the driver is waiting outside."

"I thought we were taking my car?" I liked reasons to drive my car.

"Well, I don't know where we're going now do I?" She smiled at me.

"That's true." I grumbled at her smug reaction.

We lugged the suit cases and bags out to the car, me carrying all the heavy items and my mother carrying all the light ones. The driver helped me put it all in the trunk while my mother got in the car.

"Do you know where we're going?" I asked the driver as we shut the trunk lid.

"Yes Miss."

I hopped in the car and slid over next to my mother. She was on her cello phone talking a mile a minute. It sounded like she was talking to someone who was working for her, a mover perhaps. I sat there in silence for most of the drive while my mother ordered people around on her cell phone. It brought back more memories. I had reasons for graduating early from high school. I use to be her only 'worker.'

"Morgan, honey?" She would bellow at me. "Clean the pool!" Half an hour later, "Sweep the deck!" After that, "Trim the hedge!" Then, "Wipe off the tables in the house, there's dust on them, you know I don't like dust, it makes my nose irritable."

"Yes Mother," was how I responded to everything.

"You never act like a lady!" She would criticize me all the time. "Sit up straight." Or, "Don't sit with your legs apart! Close them or cross them! My goodness Morgan!" Then there was the dreaded, "Why don't you ever have boyfriends! Girls your age are supposed to have boyfriends! What's wrong with you! You do like boys don't you? Are you not telling me something?"

Truth was I had boyfriends. I was just never going to bring them over while she was home. Bruce was the first boy to ever meet my mother, well the first one to meet her and still see me after. And that's no lie. Every time she found out I had one, she insisted on going on about my childhood and all the things I did as a child. Those stories weren't as bad as the other ones she told, about my habits and things I did that bugged her. Then there was the bed wetting.

"Oh, and I remember when little Morgan would wet the bed every night." She said once while we were all sitting on the couches in the living room, my boyfriend sitting there trying to not laugh, and me running to my room bawling. At 14, boys aren't really that keen about staying with a former bed wetter.

I had decided by ninth grade that I would take summer school to get all my credits early. That way I could go to college or university quicker and that meant having a real life. I was 17 and I was out in the big world. I went to Gotham University. I studied journalism, much to my mother's dismay. She wanted me to be an interior designer or a fashion executive. I actually almost threw up in my mouth when she told me that. Apparently, journalism was a manly job. I just blew her off and did it anyways. I was tired of taking her bullshit. I graduated top of my class, and went and found a job instantly. It was at a little magazine that published health stories and issues with the government, not up my alley, but something to start with.

That was when Ryan found me. My boss, Cindy, had really liked one of my pieces and thought I was ready to move on. She did this with a few of her staff every year. On my second year there, she thought I was ready to leave. Ryan called me for an interview. I was 21 years old when I finally got a big break. As soon as I had walked into that office, I nearly sank to the floor; I probably would have turned into a pile of mush if I had. Never to this day, could I have imagined what he really was. Back then he was the most amazing mentor I had ever had. Now he was some sad pathetic dick locked in a jail cell. And that was fine with me.

"Morgan!" My mother called my name loudly from outside the car.

"Oh, sorry!" I jumped out and slammed the door behind me.

"This is the building!" She exclaimed, raising her long arms towards it.

Much to my horror, I looked up and saw Bruce's building. I had a feeling like as if I knocked on some random door and ran away, and then went go see a boy I liked for the first time and realised that's the door.

"Mother…"

"Yes?"

"This building?"

"Yes."

"Okay." I squeaked. I didn't want her to know that Bruce lived here. I wanted to hide that fact for as long as possible. "What apartment number?"

"1811" She said. "Right under the pent house."

I fainted.


	16. Sixteenth Page Headline

**Yay! Another one! A bit of a different style this time. It's a flashback. In the previous chapter, she fainted, this is going on in her head while she is still out of it. Hope you enjoy it, bringing back some old times. XD. Review. Thanks.**

* * *

"Hello."

"Hi." I said meekly.

"I'm Ryan Hunter." He stood up and stretched his hand out for me to shake. "Uh…please sit." He cleared his throat and shot me a glance as he shuffled some papers together on his cluttered desk. "You'll have to excuse the mess." He apologized. "I'm a bit behind."

"Oh it's okay." I bit my tongue before I mentioned that my desk always looked like that too. Not so good to say while you're at a job interview. "It happens from time to time."

"Oh does it ever!" He chuckled. His smiled was wide and boyish.

He had to have been around 27 or 28. He seemed fairly young to be in such a high position, but then again, so was I. His hair was blonde and his eyes were blue. His lips were thin and even. His tie was patterned, but not busy. And his blue shirt brought out his eyes.

"So what are you interested in?" He asked me right off the bat.

"Well," I stuttered. "I like I guess all the mystery and action stories. Though I like to write some help columns here and there."

"Good, good. Me too." Bingo.

"Really?" I pursued.

"Yeah, like crime?"

"Yes!" I said getting a little too excited. "Sorry. Yes, that's what I mean." I blushed. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize." He smiled. "I like it when people get exited about their work."

"Oh." I squeaked. He was so nice.

"I'm going to give you the job." He announced.

My eyes got wide. "But you never even gave me a full interview."

"Do you really want to sit through a whole interview, because I can do that for you?" He teased. "Or you can just get your new job now."

"I was just shocked that's all."

"I've seen your work. I like it. You have a nice style." He cleared his throat again before continuing. "But," He said slowly. "I want to watch your work carefully. Cindy told me you get stuck a lot."

"Stuck?"

"You…get blocks."

"Oh…yeah. But once I start, I can finish it quickly." I explained.

"Planning is important."

"Yeah…I'm not very good at that."

"Oh neither am I, I'm just hoping you'll do what I never did, and actually learn how to plan your stories first." He smirked. "Let me show you to your cubical."

"Okay." I got up and followed him out of his office.

"Ryan!" A red head tagged along behind him, her legs long and slender.

"Mr. Hunter." He corrected her firmly. He stopped and knocked on a cubicle wall to wake it's occupant up. "What is it Bridget?"

"I was wondering about this article you wanted me to go, I don't want to write about how carbs are good for you." She flipped back her hair and flaunted her implants.

I saw Ryan hide a frustrated smile.

"I don't want to be doing ANOTHER article about the evil carb monsters in all the food you eat!" He told her. "You can read that everywhere. I want the truth."

"But, carbs are bad." Bridget protested to him again.

"Morgan you have your first story." He turned to me and smiled. Tapping me on the arm and waving me to follow him down the aisle of cubicles. "This is yours." He said once we got to the end. "Nice and cozy." He must have seen the quiet disappointment on my face. "Don't worry; I'm sure you'll have your own office soon." He padded me on the arm again. "I'll go get your employee account all set up."

I stood in the cubical while he ran off down the hallway of cubicles. Bridget walked by, glaring at me. I had already made a great start.

…

He tossed a pile of paper down beside my lap top. I quickly pulled down my screen. He raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes jokingly. I sheepishly shrugged off my solitaire playing.

"No procrastinating!" He said, trying to sound like an angry boss.

"I'm actually done."

"I know. I saw your paper on my desk. Thank you for not putting it with all my other papers. I appreciate that, everyone else mixes them all together. It drives me insane!" He brushed his hair back with his hand. "I must say, a month here and you have done very well."

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

"You were a good mentor."

"Was I?"

"Yes."

"I just figured you needed a little push that's all." He pierced his lips together. "Which is why, I'm promoting you to a new column. Crime updates."

"Crime updates?"

"Yeah, new column." He shuffled his feet. "Just for you." He squinted his eyes and squished his face up into a smile. "But seriously, you have to do it. No more stupid health shit."

"Thank you so much!" I gasped. "I was getting so bored."

He lifted up my lap top screen, and dragged a card over to the spade pile at the top. He put his arm on my shoulder.

"I didn't notice at all." He let out a little chuckle and walked away.

…

I could not believe how late I was! A whole hour late waking up this morning! Hopefully I could make a mad dash into my little cubicle and seem like I was there the whole time without Ryan noticing.

"Hold the elevator!" I yelled.

A hand reached towards the door and pushed it open.

"Thanks, I'll probably be in big trouble if I'm late. I've never been late before." I babbled on as I entered the elevator. "Hope he won't…"

"I don't mind." Ryan grinned as I turned bright red.

"Hi." I said.

"Hey." He greeted me back. "I like that shirt."

My face went even redder then it was before as I glanced down at my navy blue turtleneck.

"Thank you."

"I know I'm your boss and all…but you're different then all my other employees who you know, well I'm sure you've noticed they all kiss my ass." He sighed. "Just, like…relax around me okay?" He smiled his wide boyish smile again.

He was right. I was always tensed around him. I was just nervous. I felt really small sometimes. And he gave me special attention and I felt nervous about that. I mean he was extremely handsome.

"Okay. I'm just nervous about being in such a big place and my new job and everything."

He nodded. "That's natural I guess. I mean you are on your own in this superficial crap people worry about today. Well, we have each other. That is, if you shall have me?" He joked.

"Yeah, I guess we are kind of on the same page about a lot of stuff." I agreed.

"Want your own office?"

"Excuse me?"

"It's bigger then mine. Not that size matters. I mean I like my small office." He smirked when he saw my expression. "No dirty humour?"

"No, I got it, I'm just stunned."

"Oh okay, I was hopping you hadn't heard that bad joke I just made."

"Oh don't worry I heard it."

"Well then, shame on me." He said.

"Yes. It wasn't very funny."

"You thought it was hilarious, just admit it."

"I will when you admit you weren't talking about your office."

"Excuse me?"

I went red again. "I…uh…"

He began laughing. "I knew you had to be funny." He stepped out of the elevator after me. "It's refreshing to meet someone here in the city that has a sense of humour."

"I try not to be from the city." I said heading to my cubicle.

"You have an office."

"But…"

"I already set you up." He said heading towards his own office. "At the end," He pointed down the hallway straight ahead past the cubicles. "On the left, it's all ready for you." He stepped in his doorway. "Size doesn't matter." He pouted before he closed the door slowly.

…

"Hi!" An eager voice entered my office.

"Hello…" I muttered raising my head towards the door way.

"I'm Sarah!" She said to me. "I'm across the hall."

I nodded slowly with my mouth open, taking in all her perkiness, chin resting on the back of my fingers.

"I'm Morgan."

"Yeah you came about a month ago right?"

"Yeah."

"Congratulations on the big office."

"Well, size doesn't matter."

"Hm?" She said sounding puzzled.

"Never mind." I held back snickers.

She glanced around the office. "Well, maybe we can have lunch sometime; I have to go now though. I have to do an article for tomorrow."

"Oh, what column do you do?" I asked her.

"The Health column, Mr. Hunter just assigned me it." She shrugged. "But originally, I write pieces for the Arts column."

"Oh…"

"What do you do?" She asked me.

"Crime updates."

"That use to be Mr. Hunter's column before the paper dropped it." She twiddled her pencil in her manicured fingers. "Weird, I guess he tried to bring it back."

I placed my hands on my lap behind my desk to hide my sudden shaking.

"Well, I have to go. Nice meeting you finally Morgan! Bye!" Sarah flashed me a smile and turned on her high heeled feet and swiftly headed away.

…

"Oh my God!" Sarah said as we were eating lunch in a deli across the street from work. "Guess who I saw when I was shopping yesterday?"

I shrugged. "Who?"

"Bruce Wayne!"

I had to think for a second. "Oh, him." I took a bite of my chicken submarine and swallowed it in one big gulp. "And he was just walking around?"

"Yeah. He was heading into a hotel, probably one that he owns." She sighed. "He is so gorgeous."

"I guess so."

"You guess so?"

I wiped my mouth off with my napkin. "Isn't he really rude?"

"Well apparently, but who cares. He's a Wayne. Just imagine ALL that MONEY! He could like bath in money! I bet his bed is just stuffed with million dollar bills. Forget the stuffing, just bills!" She had a sparkle in her eyes. "He's single too."

"Money isn't everything."

She stared at me as if I had a third eye. "Money, is so everything, hun!" She frowned. "Remember how the girl died?"

"What girl?"

"That girl, who was dating Harvey Dent."

"That Rachel girl?"

"Yeah her, that The Joker killed." Sarah added.

"What about her?"

"Apparently Bruce knew her. He was at her funeral. It was in the paper." She informed me.

"I see." I really had no idea why Sarah was telling me all this, as if I cared any about Bruce Wayne, and all his inherited money. Maybe he could share some of it. Especially if he was apparently, "sleeping on it", according to Sarah.

"So," She smirked at me. "What do you think about Ryan?"

"Mr. Hunter?"

"Yeah, yeah. Mr. Hunter., don't be so formal. He might tell us to call him that at work, but we don't when we talk about him. Sometimes we have nicknames."

"Oh. Like what?" I was always allowed to call him Ryan, but they weren't suppose to know that, they as in, the suck ups.

"Well…there's Sexy," I began to blush slightly when she said that. "Then there's…oh my god, and then there's…" She stopped talking.

"What?"

"It's Bruce Wayne!"

"Where?" I turned around in my seat to look.

He was making his way up the steps to the deli. Why would Bruce Wayne come in a deli?

"MORGAN!" Sarah squealed. "He's in here!"

"Okay." I went back to eating my submarine.

"Seriously? You don't care?" She looked at me for a bit weirdly and then went back to watching Bruce Wayne. "He's getting a sandwich!"

"Yeah, just like that last guy did." I rolled my eyes. "He has to eat too."

"Maybe it's a caviar sandwich." She dreamed. "With gold wax paper wrapped around it."

"He's a billionaire, not a king."I tossed my garbage in the can a few feet away and stood up to leave. She continued to gawk at him as he turned to walk out of the deli.

"Oh my god he's so gorgeous!" Sarah practically yelled through the restaurant.

He turned around to look at her while she covered her mouth with her hands.

"Best sandwiches in the city." He smiled at her then walked away. I think she was about to die. That smile was quite adorable. But I would never admit it to Sarah.

…

"You're shitting me!" Ryan exclaimed when I told him my source.

"No I am not shitting you." I assured him. "That's my source."

"Your father's the commissioner?"

"Yes. Commissioner Gordon."

"Wow…" His blue eyes sparkled beautifully. "This is so great!"

"Yeah…pretty lucky." I swivelled in my wheelie chair. "He tells me stuff that the public should know."

He edge up in the chair on the other side of my desk.

"Can I tell you something?" He said quietly. He looked a little ashamed. "I had this column before."

"I know." I revealed to him. "Someone mentioned it when they found out my area of journalism."

"Oh." He said solemnly, sitting back in his chair more. "You're not mad?"

"Mad?" I gave his a quizzical look. "Why would I be mad at you?" How could I be mad at him? Not with those beautiful blue eyes. "I'm not mad at you."

"Oh okay good!" He smiled in pure relief. "I was just wondering." I had a slight suspicion that he blushed a bit after that.

…

"Sandwich?" Ryan asked me as he tossed one on my desk. "Tuna."

"Oh I love tuna!" I cheered, quickly unwrapping the plastic.

"I know." He said chewing his turkey sandwich. "I smell it every time you bring it." He sat down in a chair across from me and shuffled it closer. "Not saying you have tuna breath or anything."

"Gee, thanks." I joked. "I see you sneaking candy bars every so often."

"Who said I couldn't eat a candy bar every so often?" He smirked. "I love candy."

I picked up the second quarter of the sandwich. "Fair enough."

He pulled a candy bar out of his pocket. "Do you want half…?" He chuckled. "I was saving it for later." He blushed, giving me that boyish grin.

Hook line and sinker. All he had to do was reel me in. That was it. He had me. He had me a hello.

…

"I want you to do a big story for me this week." Came that very familiar and beautiful voice.

"A big one?" I replied, my eyes on him.

Grinning, he looked at me. "You'll like this one."

"I will, will I?" Leaning my elbows on my desk, I rested my head in the palm of my hands. "What's so amazing about this story you want me to do?"

"Well," he started in his dreamy voice. "I want you to do me…hold on." He looked at his cell phone that had just gone off.

My face blushed at little bit at the image that popped into my head. If only that sentence wasn't interrupted. I wish that WERE the sentence. All of the female staff would probably have thought the same thing. I mean, look at him. He shouldn't be allowed to look that good. I'm not sure he knows he's that handsome. That's why he's so sweet; he was done looking at his cell phone.

"Oh, I paused after a strange part in that sentence didn't I?" He cleared his throat. "I want you to do me…" He chuckled. "I want you, to first off not charge me for sexual harassment!"

Never, I thought to myself.

He continued. "I want you to write me a story on Batman."

…

Batman. Big break. Promotion.

Ryan. Blue eyes. Boyish grin.

Face. Cold. Water.

"I think she's coming too." I heard Charles say.

"Oh Morgan, wake up!" My mother's voice rung in my head like a fog horn going on forever.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes. The light was bright and nauseating. I opened my eyes to see Ryan's apartment. It was merely filled with some other person's furniture. The chandelier still hung from the ceiling. I began to shake. Everything kept flooding back, more and more memories of him and us. Together. I was glad to have woken up from my fainting, but the memories still clouded my mind.

Everyone was looking at me with worry. I tried to speak but couldn't. Being in his apartment, on a couch, a different couch, but in the same spot, didn't help with the memories. I had to get out of this place, but I wasn't sure if my legs would carry me as fast as I wanted to go.

Once I knew my legs could stabilize me I rushed out of my mother's restrictive grasp and bolted to the elevator. I went to the floor below and ran to the stairs. I quickly ran up two flights to Bruce's floor. I knew my mother would try and follow me. I had to throw her off somehow. I steadied myself at the top of the stairs then made my way to the door.

Alfred answered the door and I was relieved. I opened my arms and gave him a tight hug. He didn't ask any questions, but just hugged me back.

"Is Bruce home?" I asked him, heading to the couch.

"No Miss. I'm afraid not."

"Good."

"I beg your pardon Miss?" He sounded confused.

"I came to see you." I told him.

His eyes got wide. "A visitor?" He smiled smugly. "For little ole' me?"

"Bruce can't know what I'm about to tell you."

"Oh." He frowned. "That kind of visit then is it Miss?"

I pointed toward a cushion on the couch. He sat down slowly and looked at me seriously. I waited till I was ready to speak.

"I want…" I began to say. "To know about Rachel."

Alfred's face whitened.

"I want to know about her Alfred. Why does he never mention her?"

"That is something I cannot talk about Miss." He said honorably.

"Was he…in love with her?"

"Yes. They knew each other their whole lives."

I nodded. "And The Joker killed her."

"That was two years ago."

"I know." I nodded again. "I just wanted to know their connection. That's all. I recalled something today. I just had to get it…get it figured out." I cleared my throat.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome. I guess you have a right to know the small details Miss." He sighed. "Is that all?"

"No." I said simply. "I want to see his equipment Alfred."

"His equipment?"

"Batman cannot be dead Alfred."

"As far as I'm concerned Miss, Batman should have never been born!"

"Gotham NEEDS Batman."

"Batman, is a monster. You haven't seen what grief he has caused Master Wayne." He tried not to raise his voice. "You haven't seen even the tip of the iceberg."

"All the more reason to show me his equipment." I said staying firm to my plan.

"You mean the gadgets?"

"Yes." I huffed. "Please Alfred."

"No."

"Alfred!" I pleaded.

He stood up. "No, Miss. I will not." He leaned towards me as I remained in my seat on the couch, his stare frightening. "Don't you hurt him."

"What do you mean?" I choked. "I don't want to hurt him, I want to help him."

Alfred softened his expression when he saw my tears. "You talk to him about it. Not me."

"I can't!"

"I will not show you Miss Hilroy." He began to walk away. "I want no part in this."

I flopped down on the couch till I had my face pressed into the fabric. He never said I had to leave, so I didn't. Everything had gone completely wrong. He was supposed to help me. I thought I could depend on him for help if I wanted to become Batwoman. I was mad. I was really, really mad. I just wanted someone to support me. I guess I just had to do it myself. Why would I hurt him?

But if Batman wasn't going to help Gotham City anymore, then I would.


	17. Seventeenth Page Headline

**Hi. This one is kind of long, YAY! Lol. I've benn posting alot lately, more then my usual once a week thing i was kind of doign before. But that's okay. XD. Don't get to use to it, though I may keep it up for a bit. But no promises. This one has some funny parts in it i think. XD. I do taht face to much. Okay. So, Happy Halloweeen! Enjoy, review, thank you! Like seriously...review. XD. Thank you.**

"Master Wayne?" Alfred called. "You have a guest."

"A guest Alfred?" I came around the corner in to the main room of the pent house. "Thank you Alfred."

"Hello." The man greeted me. "I'm Charles Banks."

"Bruce Wayne." I said shaking his hand.

He smiled and nodded. "Yes, I am aware."

"Would you like anything Sir?" Alfred asked.

He thought for a moment. "A brandy?" Alfred nodded. "Thank you."

"I could go for a scotch Alfred." I said to him as he head to the kitchen. "May I ask why you dropped by?"

"Oh, yes. Quite rude of me." He chuckled awkwardly. "I just moved into the building, and I found out you lived above me, so I thought I would make the most of it. You see I am a- oh thank you very much." He said as Alfred brought our drinks over to us on a tray. "You see, I am a business man. I do business all over the world. I was thinking whether or not to come and see Wayne Enterprises."

I took a sip of my scotch, trying to stall this business bullshit.

"I'm only the name Mr. Banks. I have men to deal with all that." I invited him out to the balcony. "If you were have a meeting at Wayne Enterprises, I'm sure we could make a deal."

"I'm sure you have some say." He prodded.

He was short, his gray hair was brushed back and he had almost wild eyebrows. His suit was a gray colour. He gave off a strange vibe.

"Well," I began. "I go to the meetings. I just don't get all the mumbo-jumbo." I finished my scotch with one last sip. "What kind of deal did you have in plan?"

"Just an investment. Stocks, all that."

"Oh you're into stocks."

"I work for someone who is. I mean, I am interested in them, but he's the one making the decisions." He licked the taste of brandy off his lips. "Nice view isn't it?"

"Yeah." I said. "What floor are you on?"

"18th."

"Oh." I nodded as we stepped back into the penthouse.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

My job was the most boring job on the face of the planet. If I had to stack one more book, I was going to scream. All it gave me time to do was think about my flashbacks about Ryan. I didn't care about him. I HATED him. But I really didn't hate him; I hated…the Ryan that came after I cheated on him. The delusional, love sick, clingy man he became. I couldn't imagine the old Ryan even yelling at a dog he was so sweet, let alone rape someone. All this time to think about it wasn't helping. I didn't want to see him as a human again. He was a horrible creature. A monster, a monster that I created.

"Morgan, I need you to stack these books." The head Librarian whispered at me.

Oh for gosh sakes, you don't have to really whisper do you? It was driving me insane. I just wish I could be writing right now. They had promised me a raise and a promotion, but it hadn't come yet.

"Yes sir." I muttered under my breath.

"You're slacking!" She whispered again, still managing to sound like she was yelling the words from the intensity of them.

"Sorry." I walked over to a shelf with the book cart. "Maybe if they take out the books, they can put them back too." I shoved a book on the shelf.

I can't go back to Wayne Enterprises. It would be too suspicious once Bruce would start hearing news about another Bat character. If I weren't even working there, there would be less suspicion. Though I'm sure I would be his first guess. I hadn't made it very hard to figure out who it would be if it ever did happen.

I finished stacking the shelves and brought the cart over to the back room. It was 8:25 P.M. and the library closed at 8:30 P.M. I grabbed my purse and signed myself out. I rushed to my car and started the engine.

I ran downstairs to the secret closet. It was all there, suit and all. I pulled it out of the closet and draped it over my body. It was time.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Okay gun thingy…make me fly in the air!" I aimed it at the wall in the alley and it caught a fire escape railing. "Good enough." I pressed the button and I shot up in the air. "Holy shit!" I collided with the metal. "Help…" I squirmed as I hung twenty feet in the air.

"You have to aim it some where else now." I heard a man's voice say. "Or pull your self up."

I saw the homeless man with the really nice coat come out of the shadows.

"Uh, okay." The gun had recoiled itself. With one arm I hung on to the railing, and I pointed the gun with the other. "Wish me luck." I said as I pressed the button and swung toward the brick wall.

"Good luck." The homeless man said.

I grabbed onto the railing right before the brick wall. The homeless man clapped happily. I hoisted myself up on the ledge.

"I did it!" I clapped with him. "Thank you!"

"What else do you have to learn?" He asked me.

I hopped down the stairs and looked at my belt. "Well there's this thing…and this thing… and this thing…and more things…and a bunch of things." I looked up at him.

He frowned. "That's a lot of work you have miss."

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Good luck." He said to me again and then went to leave.

"That's a nice coat." I told him, even though it was all tattered, the quality still showed.

"Yes, it is. A very nice coat…Bruce Wayne gave it to me himself." He smiled. "In person…a very nice coat."

"Really…" I said in amazement. "Well, thank you for all that help."

"You're very welcome miss…"

"Batwoman." I said. "Please, don't mention me to anyone."

He nodded. "Batman liked my coat too." He said smiling, before he walked away to the shadows.

"Let's try this again!" I said as I shot the gun again and got yanked upwards.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Your tired looking today." Bruce told me when I walked out of the bathroom.

"Oh wow, thanks honey. You look amazing too." I rolled my eyes at him and yawned. "Couldn't sleep last night." I stroked his hair back when I walked past him on the couch to my seat. "Another damn party next door." I lied.

"Did you see the paper today?" He said calmly.

I sat up straight. "No…why? Should I have?" I relaxed. "What happened?"

He handed me over the paper and cleared his throat. "I know what you're going to say, but what I'm doing, I just need to do it okay."

The headline read, "Crime rate up 55 Since Batman's Disappearance."

"Yeah…you did know what I was going to say. And I'm going to say it anyways." I nudged him in the side with my foot. "What the hell are you doing?"

He swivelled himself on his cushion and faced me. He grabbed my feet that I had propped up on the couch and held them while he spoke.

"Because," He looked me seriously in the eyes. "I need time to think. And just think. If I lay low for awhile, they really will think I'm dead. Then they won't keep looking for me. Then I can do some small work after awhile. Of course I know they're going to notice I'm back again once I start going back to The Penguin situation again, but you have to understand this plan Morgan?"

"I guess I understand." I shrugged. "I just don't get why…why they're chasing you, you've helped so much."

"Yeah." He said sounding like he was miles away. He refocused his gaze in my eyes. "Lots of people try to help, like my parents, but some of Gotham…didn't really appreciate it."

I just nodded slowly at him while he absentmindedly fidgeted with my toes.

"Let's have dinner tonight." He said, scaring me slightly with the sudden break of silence.

"Okay." I smiled weakly. "Where?"

"You choose."

"I really want McDonald's." I cringed my face when I said that.

He pierced his lips. "McDonald's?" He cleared his throat. "I haven't gone there…I don't think I have gone."

"Excuse me?"

"I have never been to a McDonald's." He said, shrugging his shoulders. "I was never taken there, never went by myself, never been in one at all."

"Oh my God, I am taking you to a McDonald's." I stood up and grabbed his hand, pulling him off the couch.

"Will I get addicted?" He asked with a laugh as I tossed him his jacket.

"Yes." I smirked and slipped my shoes on. "Let's go."

…

"What if I don't like it?" He said as we pulled into the McDonald's parking lot. "Then can we go to a restaurant?"

"Yes, then we can go to a restaurant."

"Okay good." He pulled into the drive thru.

"What are you doing?"

"Going through a drive thru."

"No, no, no. We're going in."

"But…"

"No buts back up and park somewhere."

"This is weird." He said once we were inside. "Smells like French fries." A kid about three years old ran past him to the play place. "Can we just go to a restaurant…a quiet one?"

"Bruce…" I whined, wrapping around his arm and pouting at him. "Please?" I laughed. "I want to go to McDonald's!" I stomped my foot like a child.

"Fine." He muttered, pulling me towards a table. "So where are the waitress's?"

"Oh boy." I said, trying not to laugh. "We go order at the counter."

"The counter…" He looked to where I was pointing with my finger. "Okay." He got up and took my hand, guiding me over to the counter. "So…where's the menu?"

"I wouldn't really call it a menu." A flustered parent said to him before they ran off after their kid, screaming their name.

"The menus up there." I said, leading his eyes up towards the signs.

"Is it AAA beef in the hamburgers?" He asked the teenager behind the counter.

I hid my face in my hands. "No Bruce. It's not even considered meat."

"Then why eat it?" He said sounding alarmed.

"Because it tastes good."

"That's disgusting." He skimmed the rest of the menu. "I guess I'll have that Big Mac thing. It looks editable." He squinted at the screens. "And French fries."

He looked back at the cashier taking our order, waiting for her to type it in. All she did was stare at him.

He leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear. "Drive Thru."

"A combo number two and a Combo number six please." I said to the young girl. "Coke and…" I looked at Bruce.

"A bottle of champ…" He cleared his throat. "They don't have that here do they?"

"No, not even close Bruce."

"Sprite…" He said bored.

We sat down at a table that was the farthest away from anybody else.

"It's not even in a glass!" He said when we sat down and he looked at the drinks. "And where are the plates!" He looked at the table. "There are not even ketchup or mustard bottles!"

"It's on it already." I said to him while I opened my bag of chicken nuggets.

"What about for my French fries?"

I sighed, not wanting to show him what the ketchup looked like. "Be right back." I said, getting up and heading to the dispenser. I grabbed two ketchup cups and filled them. "Here." I mumbled, placing one on his tray as I came back to the table.

His face looked horrified. I began to laugh until I was having trouble breathing. He began to laugh with me.

"This is pathetic." He picked up a fry. "Look at me. I've never been to a McDonald's before."

I continued to laugh at him.

"Okay, that's enough. I get it. I'm a complete snob."

"Just eat the food." I wheezed.

"Fine." He grinned at me playfully before taking a bite. "It's…not that bad."

I stopped laughing.

"I like it."

I watched him devour the medium fries.

"Are you going to eat yours?" He nudged his head at my food.

"Oh, yeah." I said, stuffing a chicken nugget in my mouth.

"Oh…I wanted your fires." He pouted.

"Oh man, now you're hooked." I smiled as he took out the Big Mac.

He frowned at it. "Who made this…a monkey?"

I choked on my pop. "No, a sixteen year old kid."

He mouthed a silent, "Oh."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was almost midnight and I was lying in bed alone. I left my stomach grumble. I got up and shuffled to the kitchen. All the entire fridge had was boring food I had all the time. I looked at the clock on the stove behind me.

"I'll get some delivery." I got out the phone book and flipped to Mc in the yellow pages. "McDonald's doesn't deliver!" I slammed the phone book closed and shoved it back in the drawer. "Fine, I'll go out and get some."

"I'll have a Big Mac and fries." I said to the guy behind the counter.

While I waited I looked around the place. It was nicer this time of night when all the kids were asleep and there was no parents yelling their names. I notice two guys staring at me. I turned back around to face the guy behind the counter who had my food ready in a split second.

"You guys are fast." I said taking the food.

He just shrugged and went back to his magazine.

"Yeah…" I shrugged to after the rude gesture from him.

I headed towards the doors to go back to my Lamborghini, the two guys sitting near the window looked familiar. They were two of the thugs that were at the nightclub. Even though I wasn't dressed up as Batman, I quickly jumped in my car and drove off.

…

"Master Wayne?" Alfred walked into my room. "What's this?"

I rolled over in my bed and looked at him holding the empty McDonald's bag. I grumbled and rolled back over on my stomach.

"Since when did you begin to eat such garbage?" He asked me.

"I can eat what I want Alfred."

"But sir…McDonald's?"

"It tastes good Alfred."

He frowned. "That's no logic Mr. Wayne, that anyone should be using." He headed out of the room with the empty McDonald's bag.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Want your fries?" He asked me.

"No…Bruce, it's not good to eat this stuff so much." I was beginning to worry. "How much have you been eating it?"

He just shoved a bunch of fries in his mouth and shrugged.

"I like it."

"I have it like once a month Bruce."

"You do?"

"Yeah, it's unhealthy." I poked his stomach. "You'll get fat."

He stopped chewing and I could see him move the food around in his mouth while he took in what I said.

"So I should slow down?"

"Yes. Majorly. I talked to Alfred."

"Yeah…finding multiple McDonald's bags in the garbage." He forced a smirk away. "This is my last time here this month as of now."

"Good." I smiled.

"You look tired still."

"Uh, yeah. Not sleeping well."

"Come stay at my place if your neighbours are too loud." He suggested.

"I…I shouldn't…" I needed an excuse. "I want to watch the house while they have they're wild parties."

"Maybe you should go to one." He joked.

"Maybe my father should go to one." I joked back.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I coughed.

"Hello."

My father jumped.

"Who said that?" He looked around for the source of the voice.

"Me." I ungracefully swung down from the roof of his front porch. "Ow…"

"Okay, I don't know who you think you are but…" My father started.

"I'm Batwoman."

"That's very nice but I would like you to leave."

"If I'm a copy cat…then how would I know that Batman talks to you?" I watched his expression change. "And how would I know that his 'death' is staged?" My father crossed his arms across his chest. "And that he's trying to get The Penguin?"

"I…I don't know."

"Because I am not a copy cat."

"Why are you here and not him?"

"That's what I would still like to know." I sighed. "But it's me now, not him."

"Are you…qualified?" He asked me uncertainly.

I paused. "I…should be… soon. I'm still learning." I shrugged hopelessly at him.

He didn't seem too impressed.

"I promise I'll get a hold of all this stuff. It's hard. I haven't even tried flying yet."

"I see…"

"I just wanted you to know I was here."

"Okay…"

"But…don't tell him."

"Don't tell him? I don't get it? Doesn't he know you're here?"

"No…not exactly." I laughed slightly.

"But…"

"Just PLEASE don't tell him!" I said to my father before I pulled myself up onto the roof again and ran off.

"She does it too…" I heard him mutter while I was still on the roof.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"You wanted to see me?" I said to Bruce when I entered the penthouse.

"Yeah." He said flatly.

"What is it?"

"Seen the paper?"

I hesitated. "No…" Truth was I never read the paper anymore.

"There's an interesting article on the cover." He held out a copy to me, not lifting his head from his own copy.

I looked at it.

"Oh shit…"

Bruce read out the headline. "Copy Cat, or a Real Bat?"

"Um…" I bite my lip and groaned. "I'm not even going to try and hide it."

"Thank you." He said placing the paper down gently.

"I uh…it's been about a month and a half since I first tried to use that gun thingy…and I can kind of fly now." I put on a nervous smile that took up my whole face.

"That's great." Bruce said emotionlessly.

"I'm sorry…"

"Okay."

"I am."

"Okay."

"Bruce…"

"I said okay." His tone was dull. He got up and walked to his room, shutting the door behind him.


	18. Eighteenth Page Headline

**:) I wrote another one today. I got bored, watched some of The Dark Night, and had to write another chapter. :) So, enjoy, and review. Thanks.**

* * *

Who had seen me? Who had written that article? I grabbed the paper and looked for the journalist's name. It had been Sarah. I crumpled the paper up into a ball and threw it in to the floor.

"Bruce." I called from the couch. His door stayed shut. "Please can't we talk about this?" Nothing happened.

I stormed over to his door, knocking on it with force. The door never opened.

"Bruce, open this door!"

Nothing.

"Fine!" I took my car key out of my pocket and turned the groove in the doorknob to unlock it. "I opened it myself!" I said to him as I walked over to him sitting in a chair.

"I said okay."

"You don't mean it."

"Okay."

I brushed my side bangs away from my face. "Communication! Bruce, that's what we need to do right now."

"I'd rather not."

"Oh I know you'd rather not. And that's the issue!" I yelled at him.

He stood up from his chair. "The only issue here is that you went behind my back and I had to find out from a newspaper!" He bellowed.

"I never had to go behind your back. I can do what I want."

He threw his arms up in the air and let them drop to his sides. "You don't get it do you? This is serious! Not some game."

"I know it's not a game!"

"Then you know about the consequences! The risks! The god damn pain it causes!" His face was beginning to go red. "I don't want you getting hurt! It's dangerous out there!" His hair was hanging in his eyes while he continued to holler at me. "I said I didn't want you doing this because I love you, and I don't want to lose you!" He breathed deeply and powerfully through his nostrils. "I don't want to lose you." He muttered and sat back down in his chair again, head in his hands.

I had hurt him.

"Bruce." I choked. "I…don't mean to hurt you." I crutched down in front of him, pulling his hands away from his face. "I'm sorry. I really am. I just really wanted to do this."

"But why?" He asked me not making eye contact.

"The same reasons you do it. Most of them."

He quickly glanced at my eyes and looked away again, his eyes glossy.

I sighed. "I'm not going to stop."

He pulled his hands out of mine.

"Bruce, it's my choice." I held onto his knee for balance. "You are just as stubborn, so don't give me that look." He lifted his gazed up to the ceiling. "Hey, I love you too okay." I paused after the words left my lips. "But I'm not going to stop. I just can't, I don't know why, I'm just set to it, like you've been set to be Batman for these past years." I squeezed his knee. "Please tell me you understand that?"

"I still don't want you getting hurt!" He pleaded.

"Then train me! Help me! Make me more able to protect myself! It's a compromise Bruce, please." I grabbed his hands. "I have already taken some kick boxing classes this month, and I've been practicing at home. I use to take karate…my father wishes for his daughter growing up in Gotham…but my mother took me out of it…it wasn't proper for a young lady…so I'm not completely hopeless." I put my hands on his cheeks. "I didn't exactly train with ninjas…but you know…pfft…just ninjas…" I rolled my eyes jokingly.

He flashed a tiny smile.

"There we go." I said softly. "Please understand why I'm doing this okay?"

"Okay." He sighed. "I can't."

"Bruce, please?"

"I don't think you can handle it." He murmured.

"Let me know when you've thought about it." I gritted my teeth and left the penthouse.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It had been three days and I hadn't spoke to Morgan since the fight in my room. I need something to make me happy.

"Thank you." I said to the girl behind the counter, taking the third McDonald's bag in a row from her.

It was almost midnight again, like last night and the night before. Those same two guys were sitting in the same two seats. They watched me now even though I was glancing at them as I left the restaurant. They got up and headed through the door behind me.

"Hey pretty boy!" One of them called. He was tall and skinny.

I quickened my step as I headed to my Lamborghini.

"Hey! We be talkin' to you pretty boy!" The other big and muscular one said.

The big one grabbed me by the back of my shirt as I stepped off the curb to the parking lot. I dropped my McDonald's and tried to get free. I was sucker punched in the ribs right above where I had been cut a several weeks ago. I fell to the pavement, clutching my side. I staggered to my feet and raised my hands to hit the big one back but the skinny one pulled out a gun.

"We's want some money pretty boy!" He said waving the gun at me. "You's be makin' a mistake tryin' to hit us back."

The next thing I knew the skinny one was on the ground, his gun fifty feet away. The big one grabbed me in a chokehold.

"You's be makin' a mistake wavin' that gun at him!" The dark figure grunted.

"You's just be comin' out of no where…" The big one stuttered. "Just like that Batman does."

The skinny one got to his feet and grabbed the figure. The figure elbowed him in the side, then turned around and sacked him. He fell to the pavement in a ball.

"Hey!" The big one said, letting go of me, and swinging at the caped silhouette.

She ducked from his swing and faked him, punching him in the ribs.

"That's a cheap shot!" He whined.

I saw a glimpse of brown hair before she shoved her boot in his face, the big thug falling backwards. She continued to kick him in the stomach and then the ribs. The skinny one got up and ran for his gun. She turned around and shot the rope gun at him, catching him and reeling him back towards her. I was to in shock to do anything.

"Let me's go!" He shrieked.

"No!" She screamed at him, pulling him by the ear and tying him up.

She tossed him down on top of the big one, leaving him tied up. She looked at me for a second before shooting the gun and flying off to a rooftop.

A cop car pulled up to the three of us.

"We got a call about a fight…" The cop said as he jumped out of the car, I noticed it was Gordon.

"Who did this Mr. Wayne?"

"That…that thing…" The skinny thug said. "Batwoman." His eyes were wide. "Came right out of nowhere's! Just like the other one!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I slammed the closet door shut. I had just had my first fight. And I had won. The bonus was I had just saved Bruce's ass. I adjusted my nightgown and turned around.

"Okay, so you saved my ass."

"Holy shit Bruce!"

"It was only two guys."

"Oh well sorry it was my first real fight." I brushed past him to turn the bathroom light off.

"Your cheep shots aren't going to work forever."

"Well you could always train me Bruce. If you weren't so stubborn and scared." I spat at him.

"You didn't have to save me you know."

"Oh, so I still haven't proven myself to you. Do you really have to be that critical about this Bruce?" I grumbled, rubbing my eyes quickly.

"Yes." He nodded. "Yes I do."

"Now that I've actually proven to you I can actually do shit, shouldn't you have some of it understood! If not Bruce, you can leave right now. Don't try and discuss it while you're still closed minded."

He grabbed my arm before I could run upstairs.

"You did prove yourself tonight." He whispered in my ear. "But it's still not good enough."

I spun around and held my gazed with his, our noses almost touching, my face in an angry scowl.

"Then fucking teach me!" I said through my teeth. "Fucking teach me Bruce!" His mouth stayed a straight line. "Or cower with your tail between your legs." I regretted what I said but kept my face stiff.

"I need proof that your reasons to do this are really reasons!" He spoke into my face, his breath hot against my skin. "It's not just about fighting skills!"

"I'm pretty sure getting fucking raped and wanting to get all the rest of the fucking scum off the streets is a good reason!" I yelled in his face. "Is it not a good enough reason for you Mr. Wayne!" I gasped for air then continued. "Just wishing to help should be a good enough reason!"

He let go of my wrist and stepped a foot back, his lips still in a straight line.

I puffed invisible smoke out of my nose. "Is it not a good enough reason?" My chest rose and sank quickly as I tried to calm myself down.

After a minute Bruce finally spoke.

"I will train you." He glanced at my new bunching bag behind me. "I don't want you going out until I think you are ready. Is that a good enough compromise?"

I blew the last of the invisible smoke out of my nose and nodded.

"Good." He let out a deep breath.

We stood there awkwardly for a few minutes until I wrapped my arms around him and leaned my head against his shoulder. He hugged me back and we stood there for a moment.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I was being a coward."

"Yeah you were." I smirked.

"Thanks." He laughed slightly, kissing me on the head.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Afternoon Master Wayne." Alfred greeted me as I came in to the penthouse. "Just getting in?"

"Yes Alfred." I answered him.

"Are you back with Miss Hilroy?"

"Yes, she saved me last night Alfred."

"Saved you sir?"

"I got jumped by two of the thugs that jumped Batman at the night club." I walked in to my room and Alfred followed. "I agreed to train her."

"So you're okay with this now sir?" He frowned.

"Not at all."

"Then sir?"

"The past is the past Alfred." I flicked on the bathroom lights. "She deserves a chance." I said to him before I closed the door to have a shower.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"There's another one of them you know?" My father said to me.

"Who?" I tried not to make eye contact with him.

"There's a female now. Batwoman she calls herself. Saved Bruce last night." He told me.

"Oh, yes I heard about that."

He finished his glass of water and put it in the sink. "So why'd you stop by?"

"Oh I just came by to chat."

"I see."

"Mom's back." I said suddenly.

He breathed out his nose. "Is she?"

"Yeah I've been meaning to tell you… I just didn't know how to kind of…it's been about 2 months now."

"Oh."

"She stayed with me for a few days."

"That must have been fun." He sat back down at the kitchen table with me. "Is she still with Charles?"

"Yes." I mumbled bitterly.

"Of course."

"You believe me about that stuff he said to me right before I moved out right?"

"Yes…I don't really know him though. But if you say he said stuff to you then yes I do." My father nodded, looking at me with encouragement.

"Mom still doesn't."

"She never will Morgan." He coaxed me. "It's your mother."

I stifled a laughed. "Yeah, yeah it is isn't it?"

"If he ever lays a finger on you or says anything like that to you again, you tell me." He patted my arm. "Okay?"

"Yeah, of course." I smiled weakly at him.


	19. Nineteenth Page Headline

**Fanfiction is updating alot of stuff recently! Lol. Unlike me... XD. But I am updating now. **

**My friend, aminea88 and her friend are writing a fanfcition together about Twlight, so please go check it out, it's really good so far! **

**I hope this chapter explains some stuff from the last chapter... and leaves some things open for the next. :)**

**I'm not sure when I'll start writing the next chapter, maybe today. Lol. I'm aslo writing an actual story, like not a fan fiction, so that's on my mind too lol. But I will definately get on the next chapter! Expect some more informational stuff about Morgan.**

**Enjoy, and reveiw! Thanks!**

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"Are you okay Master Wayne?" Alfred watched me use the wall as a support while I came out of my room.

"Just my side Alfred." I winced and gasped from the pain.

He walked over to me. "I thought you were alright?"

I nodded. "I was. But one of them punched me in about the same place I was cut." I made it over to the couch. "It's bruising now."

"Let me see Master Wayne." Alfred said as I sat down on the couch. He lifted up the corner of my shirt and looked at the bruise. "Oh my, it's right on the scar tissue." He sighed then looked back up at me. "It is a quite nice shade of purple if I might say so." He laughed and stood up.

"We can keep it in mind for a wall colour when we paint the mansion soon." I added.

"Of course Master Wayne." He chuckled. "I'll go get an ice pack."

I nodded and listened to him rustle around in the freezer.

"Eggs for breakfast?" He said coming out with a frozen beanbag looking object.

"Omelette?" I took the beanbag from him and placed it on the purple patch covering my side. "Two omelettes."

"Hungry Sir?"

"No, Alfred." I gasped when I laughed, my bruise aching. "Morgan is…" I took a breath and continued. "She's coming over soon."

"Ah, so that's why you are up so early!" He said from the kitchen.

"Alfred can you bring some napkins?"

"Napkin's sir?"

"It's bleeding."

"Bleeding Sir?" Alfred quickened his step from the kitchen. "That is not good Master Wayne." He said as he looked at it. "The tissue ripped again."

"You mean it wasn't completely healed?"

"Not entirely, no." He headed back to the kitchen as I applied pressure to it. "I will stitch it up again sir."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Okay." I said to him when we got out of the car. "Where are we?"

We were in the middle of a loading dock. There were stacks and stacks of multi-coloured storage crates. I spun around looking at all the boxes piled everywhere. The sign had said 'No Trespassing' when Alfred drove through.

"You will," He tried pulling himself out of the back seat. "You will see." He huffed as I helped him off the seat.

"How are you going to train me when you can barely move your whole side?" I asked, taking his weight onto my shoulder.

"I'm not going to train you in anything physical today." He fiddled with the pad lock with one hand until Alfred came over and unlocked it for him.

"Why are we going in a storage…" I stopped as the floor began to lower once the doors shut behind us. "Bruce!" I squeaked.

He laughed in my ear softly as light appeared from below, soon revealing a huge long room. We stepped off the elevator like platform and slowly made it over to the computer station. I lowered Bruce into the chair and stood beside him, staring at all the computer equipment. Alfred has pressed a few buttons on the keyboard before I helped Bruce to the chair, and things were already popping up on the screens.

"This," Bruce said, lifting up his good arm, "Is the 'lair' if you might call it that."

"I might." I said, nodding in awe.

"I don't keep my suit in a secret closet either." He smirked at me as I blushed. "Just a secret floor tile." He pressed a button and part of the floor rose, showing the suit and all the accessories. "Much better then a closet." He joked.

"Okay, okay, I get it. Can I have my own secret floor tile?" I asked.

"Now Miss Hilroy," Alfred said to me, "We don't just give those to anybody you know." He smiled and walked over to the suit. "Do you have most of these items?" He held up a silver batman shaped weapon.

"No, I don't…just whatever Mr. Fox had."

"That never occurred to me how you go the outfit…" Bruce realized.

"Yeah…I'm borrowing it. Not for spelunking or anything, just borrowing it." I teased him, pushing my luck.

"Yes…but…you see I kind of own the company." He said playing along.

"Oh you do? I didn't realise…is there some connection that can prove it?"

"Probably not my last name or anything."

"Oh okay I didn't think so."

"Yeah, I mean the fact that he just lends the suits to everyone now doesn't really impress me very much." He ended the game.

I sighed. "I told him what I was doing and he gave me the suit, but said it was my responsibility."

"You're responsibility?"

"If I got hurt, it wasn't his fault." I shrugged and avoided eye contact with him. "I remember him saying that I would have done it anyways if I had the suit or not so he gave me the suit for better protection."

"I guess that makes sense…" Bruce cleared his throat. "But I still don't like it."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"So…" I let out a deep breath as we sat together on the couch. "You going home soon or staying over again?"

She lifted her head off my shoulder and took her eyes off the television. "I was thinking of going out tonight."

"Oh, I don't really want to go anywhere tonight, not in my condition."

"No, I meant Batwoman." She said.

"But I thought we agreed that you wouldn't…"

"Oh yeah…" She frowned. "Sorry, I forgot." She placed her head on my shoulder again.

"It's okay." I quietly let my breath out my nose. "How about you stay here tonight?"

"Sure."

I wasn't certain, but I was imagining her sneaking out from her house and breaking our compromise. I didn't want to risk that happening. If she was here then I could make sure she didn't sneak out, at least for one more night.

"It's getting late." I whispered to her after noticing the time on the DVD player.

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired."

She hadn't been a minute ago when she announced her plan to go out as Batwoman.

"Yeah me too." I smiled weakly.

I didn't want to be so worried about trusting her, but it hadn't been the best streak for her recently. I knew I could trust her in the long run, but I had some sensitivity about the whole Batwoman idea. And I don't think she fully understood them.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Morgan!" I heard someone say as the elevator doors opened on the 18th floor.

"Mother!" I forced a smile on my face.

"Charles! Hurry up!" She waved her arm at the elevator controls. "Morgan honey, press the button to hold the doors open for Charles!" She gestured him more with her manicured hands.

I complained under my breath and held the button.

"I'm here Charlene!"

"Won't you tell me the host of this dinner?" My mother begged him.

"No, it's a surprise. You'll be very impressed."

Of course she'll be impressed. Everything he does is to impress someone. I'm surprised he doesn't ask for a trophy every time he does something well. Not to mention he didn't even bother to say hello to me, not that it mattered at all.

"Oh hello Morgan." He slithered.

"Sup?"

"Don't be disrespectful!" My mother snapped at me.

"What's up?"

"Morgan!"

"Hello."

"Better." She moved her head in the air as if she was raising her nose to smell something foul. "I'm sorry if you were coming to see us honey, we're going to a fellow residents for supper."

We stopped on Bruce's floor.

"Oh…I was just popping by a friend's place…that's all." I lied.

"I see." She said as the elevator door opened. "Charles still won't tell me who our host is."

I realised we had gone to the same floor, the top floor, no more floors to go up too.

"Oh shit." I cried between little gasps for air.

"Pardon?" Charles said going to pass me as I blocked the door of the elevator.

"You guys went to the wrong floor didn't you?"

"No, Penthouse suite Morgan." Charles looked at me as if I was some incompetent ape. "Please move."

Reluctantly I stepped out of the elevator and walked over to Bruce's door and knocked slowly as if my hand was made of led. Bruce opened the door and his face lit up when he saw me. It didn't last long because he saw my expression and looked behind me at my Mother and Charles.

"Bruce!" My mother exaggerated the ending of his name, pushing me aside and giving him an awkward hug.

He flashed me an agitated look and turned his smile back on once my mother could see his face. He shook hands with Charles and acted like this wasn't the weirdest thing in the world. I wish he could help me with my attempt to do that also.

"Come in! I wasn't expecting Morgan, but I guess she might as well stay!" He played up his cocky side. "Alfred drinks for everyone!"

I remembered how much I hated that side.

"I had no idea you all knew each other!" Charles gleefully commented on the situation.

"Oh, Charles…I never mentioned it?" My mother asked him.

"Mentioned what Charlene?"

"Bruce and Morgan are dating."

I saw the usual evilness on Charles's face before he went back to looking cheerful.

"What a coincidence!" He smiled at Bruce and I.

I shrugged, wishing I could leave.

"Well, let's all sit down." Bruce wandered over to the dinning room table, the three of us following him. "Here we go."

We all sat down at the table; me across from my mother with Bruce beside me, and Charles as far away from me as possible. I was wondering what the main purpose of this dinner was. I was guessing business by Bruce's tone and billionaire act.

"Now about the deal…" Charles started once we were half way through the dinner.

"Like I said before," Bruce droned on, "I would definitely have to look into it more. I have already done some statistics but I would like to do more as Wayne Enterprises is very safe about it's choices when it comes to business deals."

That was bullshit, I hadn't seen him do one bit of work lately. All he did was sit around and whine about him not wanting me to get hurt. I wasn't sure if he ever was planning to get off his ass and be Batman again. His bruise had just healed after another long month of rest and he could now walk properly, hopefully he wouldn't get hurt there again. If he was going to turn around and become a full-time businessman like this, then I couldn't handle any more boring dinners. With any luck this was a one-time deal.

"Now…Wayne Enterprises is into what kinds of products?" Charles asked Bruce, dragging this dinner on for the rest of the night.

Eventually I got up and helped Alfred with the clearing of the table. Bruce had already escorted my mother and Charles to the balcony, sipping their beverages.

"Morgan!" Bruce called, slurring my name slightly. "Let Alfred take care of that!" He took another sip of his drink. "Come out here with us already!"

I ignored him and continued to bring the dishes into the kitchen.

"Miss," Alfred frowned at me. "You really don't have to do this."

"No Alfred, I really do."

"Go out on the balcony Miss, I can finish this. It is my job after all."

I shook my head. "I do not want to here anymore talk about money or anything of that sort. It's almost enough to make me cry from boredom Alfred!"

He smiled at me in sympathy. "Well I would like some company if I'm any better then those three."

I hugged his arm quickly and kissed him on the cheek. "Of course Alfred."

"Morgan!" Bruce called from the balcony again.

Alfred finished scrapping a plate into the trash and looked over at me by the sink. "Master Wayne might have had a bit to much to drink tonight."

I nodded. "They all have."

"I don't think I have ever seen you have a drink…" Alfred stared at me.

"I don't drink."

"Not at all?"

"No." I said angrily.

"Do you not like drinking Miss?"

"I don't mind it, a drink here or there, but…" I directed my head towards the direction of balcony. "That is to much."

"Yes…well…he has been known to fake a few drinks."

"He's pretty good at faking a lot of things."

…

My mother and Charles had left after a few more drinks; leaving Bruce a little worse for wear. I had never seen him drunk. I wasn't sure how to react, especially since I wasn't comfortable around this sort of thing.

"You have very pretty eyes." He smiled at me, his breath smelling of alcohol.

"Thank you." I swallowed the nervousness back, it getting tight in my throat.

"You're welcome."

I roughly dropped him on his bed.

"Hey…you have to be care…full with me…can't just throw me around like that…" He slurred.

"Sorry, you're a bit heavy!"

"You're a bit…grumpy…"

"You're a bit drunk!" I pulled his shoes off his feet and threw them on the floor.

"No…" He smirked childishly.

"Yeah…" I mocked him showing my lack of amusement. "This is ridiculous."

"You should have a…few drinks…" He mumbled and slurred at the same time.

I shot him a strict glance. "No thanks."

"I think you need some drinks…you're grumpy and mean…"

I gave him an angry smile and headed out of his room. "I'll see you when you're actually Bruce again."

"I am…" He hiccupped. "I am Bruce Wayne."

I stopped out side his door with my hand on the knob.

"And I am Batman." He hiccupped again. "And I am a play boy billionaire…who has lots of…nice parties."

"Okay Bruce." I said weakly.

"Who needs friends when you're a whole group of different people all by yourself?" He asked the air, or me I wasn't entirely sure he could tell I was still there.

"Yeah…"

"I don't want to be them anymore."

I slowly walked over to the end his bed and leaned against the corner of the mattress.

"You don't?"

"I want to be normal."

"Normal?"

"I want to have no worries."

"Bruce, you were never normal! You never had any worries before! You're Bruce Wayne!" I watched him as he lied in the big bed.

"I am Bruce Wayne."

"Yes, you are Bruce Wayne."

"I…am…Bru…" He slurred before passing out finally.


	20. Classifieds

**I can't remember when I last updated...I think it was yesterday...Wow I really can't remember. :( That's really sad. Lol.** **Well, here's another chapter! Lol. Enjoy and...REVIEW! Thanks.**

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I had got home finally after getting Bruce to bed. Alfred said I could have stayed there for the night, but I refused, wanting to go home and rest in my own bed. It seemed like such a long time since I had. I got into a tank top and sweats and slipped under my covers.

"Morgan!" I heard his voice faintly in the back of my head as I began to fall asleep. "You worthless waste of money!" His voice grew louder as I fell into my dreams. "I've spent so much on you!"

"I never asked you too!" I screamed back at him, my 17-year-old self-appearing.

"That's the point!"

"Fuck off Charles!" I flashed him the finger from the living room.

"Don't you dare speak to me like that you little whore!" He stomped out of the kitchen. "Don't you dare!"

"You don't have any authority over me!"

"You're mother left me here with you to watch you while she was away for the next few days, I have more authority over you know then I did before, I always had authority over you. As soon as I moved in here I owned you!"

"Owned me? When did you 'adopt' me? I don't remember hearing about that. I believe that you are only a slimy git that my mother is with because of money!"

"You shut your mouth right now! You have no say in my relationship with your mother!"

"Where do you go all the time anyways?" I asked him, my arms crossed and eyes glaring at him. "Late at night when you sneak out?"

"What are you talking about?" His eyes had panic in them.

"I know you sneak out."

"I do not sneak out. I have never done that!"

"Yes you do." I placed me hands on my hips.

"You have no proof!"

"Yes I do" I smirked. "I video taped you."

"Listen to me you bitch! Stay out of it! If I find out you are meddling with my business again I will fuck with everything you care about!" Spit flew out of his mouth when he yelled.

"Was that a threat?" I said, disgusted with him. "Oh just wait till my mother hears about this!"

"Your mother won't believe a word she says, she adores me!"

"Fuck you!"

"I will burn everything you own if you don't get the hell out of my face right now!" He threatened me again.

I ran up the stairs holding back my tears. I wanted my mom to come home right at that second. I wished she had walked in during that fight. She had to believe me about him she had to! I locked myself in my room until she got home, only leaving it for food, having my own bathroom.

"Mom! I had called her when she walked by my door, not leaving my room to greet her with Charles.

"There you are honey! I'm going to dinner with Charles, I'll see you in the morning, were not getting back till later." She shut my door.

"Mom!" I called her again.

"What is it Morgan!" She said making it sound like I was a bother.

"I need to tell you something."

She sighed. "Is it about the fight you had with Charles?"

"Yes actually." I was shocked that she already knew about it.

She nodded her head. "Yes, yes, Charles told me about it."

"He did?"

"You have to start pulling your weight around here. He spends a lot of money on you. You can't just sit around and do nothing; he thinks you're using him for money. And I don't EVER want to hear that you talked to him like that again!" She snarled at me.

I sat on my bed, dumbstruck as to what she just said to me. I had to tell her what really happened, maybe then she would believe my side of the story, the real side of the story, to only side of it.

"He threatened me!" I exclaimed. "Called me names, horrible names!"

"Morgan, don't try to play me okay!" She rolled her eyes.

"Play you? Mom, I'm not playing you!" I began to cry.

"Morgan, you are 17 years old, that's what you do at your age. You spread lies and cause trouble." She sighed. "And Charles is being nice enough to forgive you for your behaviour."

"MY behaviour?" I screamed.

"Yes, YOUR behaviour. You are rude Morgan."

"You're a brainwashed gold digging pompous bitch!" I sobbed. "How could you believe him over me!"

"Charles would never lie to me. Said you were spying on him and things, that is not right Morgan! I know you might not like him, but making things up and trying to have him seem like a bad person is just not right."

"How can you not believe me? ME, your own daughter!" I threw a pillow across my room. "You're such a ditz!" I spat at her. "You can't see what he really is can you?"

"I would appreciate it if you'd stop insulting me and if you'd stop this nonsense about Charles!" She said trying to control me.

"Oh shut up! You just can't take the truth!"

"It's not the truth Morgan! I know Charles, and I know that you're being a brat!"

"Oh, just another disappointment right mom?" I squeaked, tears running down my cheeks.

"You're grounded." She said before slamming my door.

I sat on my bed, a pillow on my lap, my arms wrapped around me. I hugged it tightly into a choker hold and shoved my face hard against it, screaming loudly. I went silent and just sobbed quietly, listening to my dim-witted mother laughing with him, talking with him, leaving with him.

I picked up my cordless phone and dialled the number.

"Daddy?" I sobbed into the phone.

"Morgan is that you?"

"Yes."

"What's wrong?" His voice sounded concerned and soft, a relief from all these harsh tones.

"I can't live here anymore. I can't take it. I need to leave!"

"What happened?" He asked me.

I told him about everything, Charles, my mother, the things they said to me, everything. He was quiet and listened, not speaking until I was done. His breath was loud with anger.

"I don't have anywhere for you at my house Morgan, I'm sorry, but you know that already. You can always come stay here though, but it wouldn't be a permanent place." I knew he felt bad that he had no room for me, but I understood his financial situation.

"I can come sleep on the couch, I don't care, I just can't stay here. It's only a few weeks till I graduate high school. Then I can get a job…and get my own place…" I choked back more tears.

"Okay. Pack some stuff up; I'll come get you in an hour. Is anyone home?"

"No," I shook my head even though he couldn't see me over the phone. "They went out for the rest of the night."

"Okay, I'll be there in a bit honey." He assured me.

"Thank you Daddy." I said to him almost making no noise when I spoke.

…

I lied there on my father's cushiony sofa. I heard yelling and screaming. I ran over to the window, the paint around the out side was peeling. The living room was lit slightly by moonlight. I peered out, my face almost pressed against the glass. I saw two guys fighting on the street. A beer bottle smashed against a car door, making me jump a bit in the air. I heard drunken cursing and remarks being spewed. The next thing I knew I saw one of the guys pull out a gun, he stood there pointing it at the other man, swaying slightly in his extreme drunkenness. Then a loud echo rang through the street. He had pulled the trigger, the other man flying backwards and lying only a few feet away from the front steps of my father's little house.

I felt arms around me and I was guided back to the couch. My step mom sat me down and hugged me as I sat in shock. I saw my father run out of the house and down the steps to the scene. I shook, the image of the dead man's blood pouring out from under him still strong in my mind.

…

I woke up in a cold sweat, the image still strong in my head after almost five years. My tank top stuck to me. I slowly climbed out of bed, my legs shaky, and took my wet clothes off. I hadn't had that image come to mind in years. I looked at my sheets; sweat soaked them all the way through, blankets included. I pulled on a thin nightgown and sat on my floor in a ball. My hair was stuck to my forehead and the back of my neck.

I remembered the first part of my dream, Charles yelling at me, and how he had been going places at night. I wondered if he still snuck out. I swear I still had the videotapes somewhere. To tired to do anything about it at that very moment, I dragged myself to the guest room and climbed into the dry bed. I tried to go back to sleep, but I could only see the image of the man lying on the pavement. Dead. Dead because of being a drunk, the other man being a murderer because he was a drunk as well.

I sat up and breathed unsteadily. I wasn't so tired anymore. I looked at the clock; it was only one o'clock in the morning. I slid out of the guest bed and headed downstairs to the basement where all my boxes of junk I never unpacked from years before sat. I pushed a heavy box of videos from the laundry room and left them in front of the couch. Wrapping my self in a wool blanket, I began going through the videos one by one until I found the right label.

"I knew I still had it!" I cheered to my self quietly in my empty house.

I pushed it in the VCR that I still had for my old VHS's. It began to play the makeshift surveillance video I had made five years ago. Charles was leaving the house at three o'clock in the morning. His best coat on, car keys in hand. I fast-forwarded it to when he came back home. He had his coat on still, his walk a little tipsier, an X drawn on his hand. I paused the tape. An X on his hand as if he was at a nightclub. I had never noticed that before. I didn't know why Charles would go to a nightclub…and what nightclub would he go to?

I starred at the frozen image on the screen again. He had a water bottle in his hand. The label said something on it but it was too blurry to make out. I finished watching the rest of the video, nothing else popping out at me as a clue or a hint. I turned to television off and curled up on the couch under my blanket.

Bruce had taken my suit, that way I couldn't run off at night as Batwoman behind his back. I grunted, miserable and bored. There had to be a way to find out more about where Charles had gone at night. Then I realised that it was five years ago and it didn't matter. I had to see if he still did it, then I could investigate with a good reason. Tomorrow I would go to my mothers and place cameras around the apartment, that way I could catch him in the act again.

…

I knocked on my mother's door, waiting for her to answer. To my dismay Charles answered.

"Is my Mother home?" I snarled at him.

"Yes."

"Who is it?" I heard my mother call from inside.

"Your daughter." He muttered.

She waltzed over to the door. "Oh, Morgan! Come in, come in!"

I pulled out the envelope I had brought with me out of my purse and handed it to her. "It's passes to a wine tasting. I got them from work, I don't drink, and I thought you and Charles could have them." I tried to sound as pleasant as I could. "It's today though…I hope it's not too much of a short notice."

"Oh, why thank you darling!" My mother cooed, looking over the tickets. "We didn't have anything planned today, did we Charles?"

"Well no, I don't recall any plans." He watched me as I stood there innocently. "Where is it?"

"At a hotel a few blocks from here." I chimed, eager to get them to leave.

"I'll grab my purse Charles, and then we can leave." My mother shuffled off to her room.

I stood there awkwardly with Charles. His arms were crossed, his eyes stuck on me. I smiled at him casually.

"Okay I'm ready!" My mother sung as she came back to the front door. "Thank you for this little outing Morgan, a wine tasting sounds marvellous!" She thanked me.

Of course a wine tasting would be 'marvellous'. You get to sit around a bunch of rich people once again.

"You're very welcome Mother." I stepped into the opposite elevator. "I'm going up to the penthouse."

"Oh alright honey, say hello to Bruce for me." She waved as the elevator doors closed in front of me.

I waited till I heard the other elevator make its way towards the bottom of the building. I pressed the open button on the controls and stepped out of the elevator. They were so arrogant, not locking their door. It's like the rich people of Gotham City actually can't see the criminals and all of the corruption.

I closed the door behind me and looked for a good place to hide a camera. I spotted a shelf in a corner that faced the door. I took the little camera out of my bag and stuck in on the wall behind a picture frame. I stopped and looked the pictures. They were all of my Mother and Charles. I looked for one that had me in it. I found it behind to larger pictures, barely visible.

"Surprise, surprise." I mumbled.

I jogged down the hall towards the master bedroom. I stopped, realising I had never really been in the apartment once it had become my Mothers. All I could see was Ryan's room. I gulped and stepped inside the room, one foot at a time. The walls were a different colour, the furniture was different, and the bed was completely new. It was still Ryan's room. I looked at the bathroom that was connected to it, that was still Ryan's bathroom, no matter how pink it was now.

I rummaged in Charles dresser. First drawer was his under wear, to much information of a different kind in there! Second drawer was his socks, how predicable. I felt around and under the socks, there were papers hidden under them. Bingo!

"Receipts…" I squinted at the faded lettering. "Ice…he keeps receipts for ice?"

"Charles, hurray up, we have to be there soon!" My mother's voice came from the front door.

"Oh shit!" I quietly shut the second drawer of Charles dresser and looked for a place to hide. "Oh shit!" I ran into the bathroom and hid behind the shower curtain right as Charles came into the bedroom.

"I just have to get my wallet dear!" He called to her.

He walked in to the bathroom. My heart raced, I was dead if I got caught.

"God damn daughter of hers! Boss is not going to be happy if I can't get this deal with Wayne Enterprises! Now she's dating Bruce Wayne of all people! She'll screw me over for that deal!" He grumbled to himself as he splashed his face with water. "I'm coming Charlene!" He yelled to my Mother after she called him again.

I stayed in the shower for a few minutes after they left.

"Who is his boss?" I thought out loud.

I climbed out of the shower and went over to the dresser again, looking over all the receipts; they all had ice written on them. I found one that wasn't as faded, The Iceberg Lounge. That was the club that Bruce got hurt at. That's where Charles had been going all these years? Did he work for someone there? I had never asked Bruce why he was there in the first place. I had to ask him who was at the Iceberg Lounge that Batman needed to take care of…but he would tell me not to go worrying and searching for answers…no…I had to figure this out myself. I'm sure I could figure out who Bruce had been looking for, and who Charles was working for.


	21. Twenty First Page Headline

**Hi. --- fail at an author's note.**

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"Try and hit me." Bruce instructed me.

"Excuse me…" My voice echoed in the hidden 'lair' below the crate yard.

"Hit me."

"Uh…okay." I swung at him with all my strength. "Holy shit!" I screamed as he grabbed my fist and flung me in a full front flip, my back smacking against the mats that Bruce had set up on the ground. "Ow…"

"I said hit me."

"I'm trying!" I kicked my legs out in front of me before trying to get up.

"Trying isn't good enough!" He yelled.

"Okay…" I took my stance again.

"Hit me."

"Okay! I get it, gosh." I swung at his head and once again he flipped me on my back.

"You still haven't hit me."

"Please don't flip me again." I begged, still lying on my back.

"Do you really think you can cry your way out of a fight?" Bruce raised his voice. "Get up!"

I stood up and brushed a few stray strands of hair out of my face. I decided to aim for something else instead of his head again. I eyed his side, the opposite from the scarred side.

"Hit…me…" He said slowly.

I swung lower and he deflected my punch and pushed me away, causing me to land half off the mat.

"How did you…?" I gasped, trying to get to my feet.

"Practice." He bellowed. "Hit me!"

"I would hit you if you stopped blocking my punches!" I grumbled under my breath as I stood up again.

I let out a frustrated moan as he told me to hit him again. I swung at him and grabbed the hand he had been using each time to flip me over and held it back, punching him in the face with my other fist instead.

"I HIT YOU! I DID IT! OH MY GOSH!" I squealed, jumping up and down.

"Never stop in the middle of a fight and celebrate." He smiled at me, blood dribbling from his bottom lip before he tackled me to the ground.

"Okay fine, but I still hit you." I rubbed in his face.

"Good job, but don't get all big headed."

I tried to struggle out from under him but he was too heavy. I tried to push him off me; all he did was watch me, amused at my attempts. He was purposefully pushing his entire weight towards me to make it harder. I kissed him on the nose.

"Honey, please get off me."

"That's a slutty defence." He said.

"What?"

"You can't flaunt yourself to get a guy off you." His eyebrows narrowing as he said this.

"Well…normally you flaunt yourself to get the guy on you Bruce." I sighed. "You're crushing me. I just want you off me so I can actually breath."

"Oh." He scampered to his feet. "Sorry." He pulled me off the mat. "We have to help you defend…" He ran at me from the other side of the mat like a raging bull. I ran out of the way and he continued to chase me. "Stop and fight me!"

I stopped running and saw him still running towards me. He swung at me and I remembered a karate defence I had learned as a child. I flung my arm up and his fist hit it. I knocked his arm down and kneed him in the stomach.

"Okay…that's good." He said to me from the floor.

"I'm sorry!"

"No…no…it's fine." He laughed. "Very good. Let's go back to you trying to hit me…" He stood up and took his stance.

…

Bruce had spent the last three weeks training me since his side had gotten better. Everyday we practiced for hours. After I went home I would spend a few more hours by myself with a punching bag, or at kick boxing classes a few times a week.

I was exhausted, but Bruce wouldn't let me rest. He said I had no excuses not to want to practice. I though I had all the excuses in the world. But of course he wouldn't listen to them. I was almost in tears after every practice session, my body aching, my breath slowly gaining its strength back. Bruce told me that I had to keep practicing after our practices in order to keep up with what he had for next practice. So I pushed myself, and he told me to push myself harder.

Stacking books on the shelves hurt, the library still not giving me a raise or promotion. I stacked the tattered books for 6 hours a day, and the other two hours sorting the books that came in before closing That way I could stack them right away when I came in the next morning. Then I went and practiced with Bruce for 4 hours ever night, whether I worked till 8:30 p.m. or not. After those four hours I would go home and punch and kick the hell out of my punching bag for one or two hours, depending on how late I was at work for.

I hadn't even tried to ask him about the Iceberg Lounge yet. I knew if I asked he would go straight to telling me to leave it alone…maybe I would wait till the next time he had a few to many drinks. I rolled my eyes at the thought of interrogating him when he's in such a state.

Every practice Bruce would try and talk me out of being Batwoman, I was actually thinking he was making this hard on me so that I would change my mind. Thinking that he may do that made me angry. I didn't know why he couldn't just accept the fact that I was going to do this.

I stepped up on the mat, ready to start practice again.

"Are you sure you're going to go through with this?" He asked me.

"Yes." I grunted. "How many times are you going to ask me?"

"Hopefully until you change your mind."

"I'm not going to change my mind Bruce." I let my arms hang against my sides. "So you should just get use to it."

He stopped hunching in a stance and stood up straight. "Just get over it?"

"Bruce, I want to do this okay!"

"I want you to be safe okay?" He huffed.

"I know you do, and that's why you're training me."

"You can still get hurt." He told me. "It's not like I haven't been hurt before. You know I have."

"Please, Bruce, can we drop this whole thing? I'm doing this okay?"

"Stop asking me if it's okay. You know it's not okay with me!" Bruce spat at me.

"And you know that I really want to do this." I threw back at him forcefully.

"Morgan please just…" He started.

"Can we just get back to practicing?" I interrupted.

Bruce kept his eyes on mine, defeated.

"Can we?" I said again.

"I need some air." He muttered, walking off the mat. "I'm going for a drive, I'll be back in a bit, don't leave until I do."

I watched him leave, still standing on the mat.

"Fine, go have your damn cool down!" I called after him, but I knew he was to far away to hear me.

I trudged my way through the practice equipment lying all over the floor and sat down in the computer chair. Then it came to me, Bruce had just left me alone. I took the computer off hibernate and began going through his files. He had surveillance, he had personal files for hundreds and hundreds of criminals, and he had a file for open cases. I double clicked on the file for open cases and found what I was looking for.

"Iceberg Lounge…owner…The Penguin…seriously, these guys pick weird names…real name…Oswald Chesterfield…I guess there's reasons for fake names…runs underground business deals…that's why Charles is going after Wayne Enterprises…he works for this guy!" I wrote down all the information on the screen and tucked the folded paper in my bra. "I've so got you Charles."


	22. Twenty Second Page Headline

**Okay! So my last chapter had a failure for an author's note, because I was in a bad mood. And guees what? I'm still in a bad mood! -.- 1 Review. 1. That's...less then 2. And she's my friend so she HAD to review anyways. But anyways. I am giving you another chapter beacuse I have them done, just sitting around, but maybe I won't give you anymore. Hmmph. *shuns.* **

**:) But really, please review and make me happy becasue the following chapters have to be really intense and I can't do it without your motivation! So please help me! THEY ARE VERY BIG CHAPTERS! THEY'RE THE CHAPTERS OF WONDER AND JOY AND JOY...FULLNESS! Actually it's probably nothing close to wonder and joy...and joyfullness to them in the story, but to you as readers, the amazingness of the story will be wonder and joy, and joy...fullness, I damn well hope. But you have to review. :) And be active readers. Unless you don't like the story anymore. Then...thank you for reading this far, or...not this far if you've stopped before. ANYWHOOTLES! Please read, review, keep reading the next chapters, it's all coming to an end soon folks, big surprises coming too! I don't even know some of them, they are merely little puffles of smoke floating around in my brain. So please review, so yeah, thanks!**

* * *

"Done practice Master Wayne?" Alfred wandered out of the kitchen to greet me.

I walked straight past him to my room and slammed the door behind me.

"Very well Sir." I heard Alfred sigh from the front door.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Bruce had told me I could go home and that practice was over once he came back from his 'drive'. I didn't bother asking questions or protesting because my head was to busy thinking over all the information on Charles I was going to find out.

Once I was home I looked up the Iceberg Lounge on my laptop. I wasn't sure if an underground nightclub would have a personal website, but it did. I wrote down the address and closed my screen.

I hopped in my car and drove to Gotham City Shopping Center. The stores were almost closing so I jogged past them all until I saw something I liked. It was a pink low cut tight mini dress. I ran into the store and grabbed the dress, it was $150 dollars, and I could always return it after I wore it once. I tried it on, I didn't like to wear things that were too revealing, and this was breaking my limit.

"Oh my God, my legs are horrendous! My arms are bigger! I'm all muscular!" I panicked while I twirled around in front of the mirror.

"You look fabulous!" A lady said as she came out of the change room to see the mirror. "You'll have the guys all over you!" She looked me over again, "You go get that man you want! He will drool all over you!"

I smiled and nodded, trying my best to be polite. I really didn't want my step father all over me.

"Thank you." I added on to my smile. "My legs aren't weird?"

"Oh honey, if I had your legs, well then I would be a nudist!" She howled with laughter and tapped my behind before going back into her change room. "And you wouldn't have been born yet!"

I stood in my spot, stiff as a tree, waiting till the image was gone and the memory of her touching my behind was forgotten. I stumbled back to my change room, my three inch heels clicking on the tiled floor. I made sure I locked my door before changing back into my regular clothes.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I grazed my fingertips over the black material, it feeling foreign to my touch. The black suit seeming old and long forgotten, but I thought about it everyday. It was suppose to be me out there, not Morgan! It had been months since I had gone out as Batman. I wasn't sure if that was long enough, or maybe it was to long, and far too late.

……………………………………………………………………………………………....

The music was loud, I could tell, seeing as I wasn't even in the building yet. I looked at everyone else and realised I fit right in. The women had barley any clothes on and the men liked it. I felt conscious as I walked up the side walk, my car parked a few blocks away for safety reasons.

"Hey, looked at that, fresh meat!" A guy whistled at me. "Hey baby!"

I showed my recently legal I.D. and ran into the club. I had never been in a club before, loud music bothered me. I saw strippers on poles, some practically topless. Men watched them dance, their mouths hanging open, eyes as big as the strippers implants.

"I can't even hear my self think!" I muttered to myself. I had my hands to my head and tried to tune out the pounding.

"Hey Baby! You just walked away from me out there!" The stranger wrapped his arms around me and yelled in my ear.

I gripped his wrist and he instantly winced in pain, falling against the wall behind him.

"Don't touch me." I didn't even bother to turn around and looked at him while I said this, walking away towards the bar.

I looked up at the lofts, all the business men hung around up there it seemed. Wondering if it would be weird entering that area, I climbed up the stairs, trying to ignore all the men watching me.

There was another bar up there and more strippers. I wondered why there couldn't be some men strippers for once; I guess I was in the wrong club. I glided over to the counter of that bar and asked for water. The bartender gave me a weird look but I brushed it off and took my water bottle from him.

I glanced around for Charles or 'The Penguin'. It was too dark and the strove light was too nauseating. I sat down on a stool at a table connected to the railing. I took out my compact mirror and pretended to be applying lip-gloss, using it to really look behind me for Charles.

"Well, hello there." A man slipped into the seat across from me. I hope he couldn't see my roll my eyes behind my mirror. "Can I buy you a drink?"

"I have one." I said plainly, lifting up my water bottle. I didn't look up at him because I had thought I caught a glimpse of Charles. "But thanks."

"Water, come on that's not a drink!" He tapped the table with his hand. "Let me get you a drink."

I lifted up my water bottle again. "Water was the first drink we had as humans; I'm going to be sticking with that." I glanced at the hand on the table; it had a wedding ring on the ring finger. "Oh gosh, you're married!"

He lifted his hand up and starred at it. "Shit I forgot to take it off!"

"Go home to your wife and ask for mercy you scum bag!" I grabbed my water bottle and left the table. "Unbelievable!" I groaned.

I sat down on a couch in the back of the loft, hoping to get some room. All the people were starting to get to me. I placed my water bottle on the couch beside me and pulled out my cell phone, pretending I was texting, but really I was taking a video of the night club.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing sitting back here all alone?" Another man said to me, sitting beside me.

"I'm sitting here in the back all alone, that's what I'm doing sitting here all alone." I snapped at him, getting sick of these one night stand attempts. Though in the back of my mind, I had a history of them, but not with creeps like these, just ones with multiple personalities and separation issues. "Can I have some space please?" I asked him when he got a little too close to me.

"Sorry." He said simply, easing off. "You have nice…legs…"

I breathed out my nose heavily, trying not to flip him over the side of the loft, now that I knew how to do that.

"Yeah…" He said before getting up and leaving.

I sighed and leaned my head back on the booth, guzzling my water. I sat there continuing my video. I got up after a while and began walking around the loft, occasionally peaking over the edge to check the main floor for Charles.

"Oh wow," I tightened my grip on the railing. "Almost fell over there."

"Yeah, you wouldn't want that now would you?" A hand gripped my arm to make sure I was stable.

"Oh it's you! Mr. you have nice…legs…" I said to him.

"Yeah that's me." He laughed nervously.

"They shouldn't have these railings just lying around everywhere." I complained to him loudly.

"Yeah…it's dangerous." He nodded, and crossed his arms.

I looked around, everyone looking the same, blurry and warped.

"Hey… I think," I took a step and stumbled, the guy grabbing me and helping me back up. "Thank you…it's Charles!"

"Charles?" The guy looked where I was unsteadily pointing.

"Yeah," I grabbed his jacket and looked into his face. "But shh! I'm not supposed to be here! It's a mission!" I hiccupped. "I'll be in trouble if he sees me!" I saw him come towards were I was standing with the guy. "Oh no, I have to hide!" I clumsily wobbled my way behind the guy, giggling and snickering at the fun I was having. "Don't let him see me!" I whispered in the guy's ear from behind him.

"Well…maybe we should go in that room over there…it would be safer." He pulled me out from behind him and slowly guided me across the club, everything beginning to swirl.

"You know guy…I don't feel to well…"

He pulled me faster, me stumbling along behind him. "You're fine." He told me.

I began to get scared. Everything was blurry now and my brain was feeling like it was shutting down. I had been drugged. I collapsed on the floor, bursting into tears. He tried to help me up off the floor. I pushed him away, trying to keep my head clear enough to get away. All of a sudden I was floating, I must have really blacked out or I was trippy out to the extreme, because it actually looked like the floor was getting farther away. I continued to cry because I had no idea what was going on. Everything went to a certain point and I lost the ability to think. I was dizzy and my head felt like a hundred pounds.

"I want to go home!" I kept repeating over and over again as I was carelessly carried through the night club. My body was too limp to fight back, all I could manage to do was cry some more and smack lightly, doing no damage, everything suddenly going black. I was gone.


	23. Twenty Third Page Headline

**I had a whoel thing planned out for my author's note. Butthen I realise I can't make fun of accents, it's rude. So I stopped. :( Lol. Anywhootles. New Chapter. YAY! CANDY MOUNTIAN CHARLIE! CANDY MOUNTIAN! XD  
**

**So. This may bring some closures. It may not. It definately opens some things that need closure. XD. But that's for furture chapters to take care of, ones that come from deep down in my heart. My motivated heart. My passionate heart. I happyily driven heart. Or not. XD. **

**Lol. So Review, and wait anxiously for the next chapter. Don't even leave your computers. Joking. XD. About the not leaving your computer part, the other stuff I meant, lol. **

**So Enjoy!**

* * *

My bed was so comfortable, yet I couldn't fall asleep. I had a bad feeling. I fluffed the pillow under my head again and kicked my blankets off. Maybe I was just missing Morgan. The way we had ended our last practice wasn't the greatest. I still couldn't get rid of the feeling. What would it take to shake it?

I picked up the phone and dialled her number. I hope she wouldn't be mad about me calling at four o'clock in the morning. I waited for her to pick up. I knew her phone was right beside her bed. She should hear it ringing in the dead of night, asleep or not. I tried her cell phone next again I got no answer.

I got dressed and searched around for my car keys. I finally found them and quietly left the penthouse. The feeling still stayed strong, I had to make sure she was home sleeping.

I walked up to her door and rung the bell. I got no answer after a few minutes. I knocked franticly on the door. No answer once again. I banged into her door, it breaking open from my impact. I ran up the stairs three at a time.

"Morgan!" I called into the darkness of her room.

I flipped the switch on by her door. Her bed was empty, it wasn't even crinkled, and the sheets perfectly flat along her queen sized bed.

"Where is she?" I puffed quickly, trying to catch my breath as I searched franticly around her room.

When I was down stairs on the main floor, I gave up. I flopped on her couch to think for a second. Her laptop was sitting on her coffee table. I opened it and saw her web browser open.

"Morgan…no…Morgan…" I slowly shook my head as I spoke.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"What are we going to do with her?" I heard a voice in the far distance. "Huh, huh…huh? What are we going to do with her?" The voice laughed. "No one can know she's here…"

"Keep her here." Another voice said. I think it was Charles. "I'm sick of her meddling in with my business."

"Would you like her dead then Mr. Banks?" Another man spoke.

"Not yet." I heard him leave the room.

"Someone especially can't know she's here." The first voice came again.

"Yes, yes, I heard you the first time." The third man's voice rang through the room.

Their voices began to get louder and seemed to be closer. My head was heavy, sore, pounding. I could begin to feel my body's position on the cold floor. The side of my face lay against it, the rest of me doing the same. My stomach felt like it was two hundred tons of tipsy water, ready to lose control at any minute.

"Make sure he doesn't come in here!" The first man's voice sounded a little panicked.

"Listen," The third man's voice came, clearly showing he was in control. "Just know that this was not in my plans. We didn't know she would show up, frankly this is a favour of mine to Mr. Banks for being a loyal employee for me all these fine years. Oh how they have been beneficial. If I get rid of her, he can get back to work; she can't go spreading word to her Commissioner father about our little goings on here."

I gulped when I heard this information. My head was beginning to get clearer.

"Yes, just don't tell him." The voice stung my ears like a million hornets were making a hive in my eardrums. "He," The voice laughed nervously, trying to get his point across. "He can't find out!"

"Who can't find out?" The other man said, most likely 'The Penguin.'

"My partner, the one I came to you with."

"Oh, him…why can't he know about this? Is he a screamer?"

"No, no, no. He won't spread a word about your business ways, but my concern is that he can't see her get hurt."

"How come? Does she mean something to him?"

"Yes." The man laughed again, my ears feeling like they were bleeding. "Oh yes."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I sipped the beer slowly, still shaken up from the escape. I hadn't been willing to kill to get out of prison, but we had done it, the result being an extremely paranoid and shaky me. Every time the music got loud, I shook even more, some beer falling on my borrowed clothes. The white room was cold and life less. I gripped onto the beer, waiting to feel a buzz.

"Hey!" The Joker slid into the seat beside me. "Still a little shaken up? Don't be a child Ryan! You killed your first man, you should be proud!" He laughed, smacking me on my back.

I didn't even look at him. He had got hold of some face make up, his clown face once again about to terrorize the streets of Gotham as soon as he got a chance.

"I'm not proud." I took a swing of beer. "I shouldn't have done it."

He leaned over towards my face and talked into my ear. "Don't turn out to be a squealer. I told you, you have to be in the game to be here, or else you go back to the jail, and now for life. Or do you want to live homeless in an alley way somewhere, while Bruce is giving Morgan all the fine things she could ever ask for."

I finished off my beer and looked at him at last. "I don't want that."

He grinned and licked his lips. "Now you see that's what we want. Some anger! You have to stick with us!"

"I will."

"Good, then we can get you untouchable; we have power over the police you know. They still don't run Gotham City. You'll be a free man!"

"Yeah." I opened another beer.

"Just don't go in the room that says don't go in it." He said getting off his chair.

"Why?" I asked him as he backed away rather quickly, making me suspicious.

"Because…" He was almost out of the room by this point.

"Because why?"

He shook his finger at me, grinning, and then slinked out of the room and down the hall before I could ask him another question about the room.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hmm, where am I?" I said when I woke up.

I was lying on Morgan's couch. The sun was out and birds were chirping. It was after seven o'clock in the morning.

"Oh God, I fell asleep!"

I had been waiting for Morgan to come home, but she never did, or at least before I fell asleep. I ran up the stairs, rubbing my eyes still. Her bed was exactly the same. She had never come home last night.

I raced out of her house and jumped in my car, backing out of the driveway. I took my cell phone out and called Gordon.

"Commissioner Gordon sir?" I said quickly. "Morgan's missing."

"Missing?" He said sounding alarmed.

"She never answered her phone and I was just at her house she never came home." I slammed on the brakes to let some jerk get past me.

"Is her car there?" He asked.

"No, it wasn't." I turned the steering wheel, just making the corner while I was speeding.

"I'll try and get a hold of her Mr. Wayne. You just try to do all the things you can to find her."

If only he knew that she was in real danger, I mean she has been kidnapped before. I couldn't say that to him, not as Bruce Wayne…but as Batman, yes. But before I did that, I had to make sure I wasn't over reacting.

My cell phone rang the name reading Penthouse.

"Hello?"

"Master Wayne…" Came Alfred's voice.

"I was at Morgan's, she wasn't there. She's missing." I explained to him.

"You see that's…" Alfred began.

"I think she went to the Iceberg Lounge. Have you heard anything from her?"

"Well Sir, on the…."

I interrupted him again. "Alfred, how could she do this? She's not ready, not nearly as ready as she should be. I don't even know how she got this information! Do you know how she got this information?"

"No, Master Wayne I don't, but you really need to hear…"

"She went on the computer, when I left her there during training!" I finally realised.

"Master Wayne!" Alfred said sternly.

I fell silent.

"The news, Sir. There's some bad news…"

"What news?"

"They say two prisoners escaped Arkem recently. The broadcast hasn't said who the criminals are yet."

"And you're suggesting?" I edged Alfred on.

"Well, of course sir, it would be dreadful if he did get out again."

"Just keeping watching…there's her car…Alfred I have to go." I pulled up beside her car in a vacant lot.

The car was spray painted, and all the windows were smashed in.

"Morgan!" I ran to the car, brushing some glass off the door handle on the driver's side. "Morgan, are you in there?" The car was empty.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The cold hard floor was beginning to make my bottom go numb. I had no idea how many hours I had sat there for, just waiting, waiting for someone to come in, to speak on the other side of the door, for the room to stop spinning, or for my body to stop aching. My spine was resting on the cement wall, a bruise forming. I also happened to be wearing the skanky dress from last night still. My back was exposed, which was why I could feel the wall so much. I had managed to pull my heels off. Going to the nightclub had been a really stupid idea.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Did you hear?" He wheezed. "I just got the news. Batman's dead! A while ago! This just makes things easier!" The Joker howled in laughter. "Though, he was fun."

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Yes, amazing isn't it? I know." He licked his lips.

I was beginning to wonder if all the chemicals in that make up made him this way, or if he was naturally this giddy.

"Do you know how?" I said.

"No, nobody knows. He just stopped coming around."

"So he might not be dead then?" I told him.

"Well, Batman is pretty much dead." He perplexed his eyebrows. "I highly doubt we have to deal with him. I think I've frightened him off."

I laughed at his boasting. "Of course." I sighed. "I wish I could see Morgan again."

He flinched. "No you don't."

"I don't?"

"I mean, yes you do. But…you can't."

"I know that."

"Okay…good."

"Not yet anyways, not until…later."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hello there." A man said to me as he stepped into the room. "I see you're awake now."

"Hmm." I mumbled, my words still not functioning properly.

"Now, now, are your accommodations not to your liking?" He placed his index finger under my chin and tilted it upwards, my head spinning more intensely when he did. "I'm sure it's better then six feet of dirt." He let my head fall back down against my shoulder.

"Mmm." I tried to shake my head.

"So you understand what I'm talking about? Good. How much do you know?" He must be The Penguin.

I lifted my head up, leaning it against the wall. My eyes fluttered a bit and I forced myself to open them.

"Un know…" I mutter. "I don't know."

"Oh I think you know a lot."

"No." I protested weakly.

"Yes." He nodded his head. "You know a lot, enough to know where to find him. That's a lot."

My breath was raspy as I drew air in and out of my mouth. "No." I said again.

"There isn't even a "Batman" anymore to come save you." He chuckled, his little body shaking. "My boys took care of him! Not as tough as they say he is."

"What did you give me?" I asked him slowly.

"Oh we gave you nothing at all. Someone drugged you. Technically we saved you from a horrible incident." He cackled like a bird. "You're still going to die though. Pity, such a pretty face like that. It's a waste really. Poor Mr. Wayne."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was almost late afternoon, still to light out. I was thinking over plans, strategies, anything that would help me get to her. I couldn't barge in to the club; I had to wait till nightfall.

Nobody had heard from Morgan. I was almost certain now that she was being held somewhere in the nightclub. And news teams still didn't know who had escaped Arkem, the police wouldn't release the statement.

I called Gordon once it was dark out.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Who escaped?" I said deeply into the receiver.

He didn't speak for a moment before he answered me. "The Joker, and Ryan Hunter."

My anger was stopped short after he said the second name. "Why him?"

"We have no idea. They were cellmates."

"He had a cellmate!" I grumbled. "The Joker was suppose to be alone!"

"I know. It's not up to me how they divide the prisoners."

I squeezed my fist together. "How did he get out again?" I bellowed.

"We don't know." He sighed.

"You don't know!"

"No. I'm sorry, I'm distracted today, and I can't deal with this right now."

"You can't deal with this right now! You need to be dealing with this right now!"

"We have teams searching now, for him as well as for my daughter."

I wanted to tell him where she was, but I couldn't, I had to handle it. If it was just The Penguin and not The Joker I could have had him wait out side, but now I had to do this.

**......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................**

**YAY! GUESS WHO'S BACK! Two people actually! Lol. At the end of the fanfiction, I will reveal my thoughts and stuff on the characters and how th story had ended and if I liked it our not. So if you guys think that would be cool, than yeah, keep reading for the rest of the chapters that come next!**

**Oh...**

**And...**

**One more thing...**

**Before you leave...**

**Incase you can't find the review button...it's a big one in the center right below this, I believe in green letters and a white background and a silver outline. You click it and it takes you to a review section. XD. Lol. Thanks.**


	24. Twenty Fourth Page Headline

**HELLO! *Waves.* I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.**

**Sooooo.**

**I have been busy this last week. Well maybe more then a week. But, before all my culminating starts and homework and stuff, I wanted to post this chapter and then I will work on one maybe during the next week, but hopefully Christmass will be a bit of a chance to do a chapter or two, depending on how much more chapters I have. Hint hint nudge nudge stab stab. **

**This chapter started out really badI htink in my mind atleast. But it got ALOT better. I might have just thought it was bad becasue it was having writers block, it could be good, i was just fusterated. Lol. But then i sat at my moms lap top at 11 - 12 o'clock at night and pounded out a good 1000 words and it was awesome. I only write well, well i write the best, late at night. XD That's why the summer rocks. Lol. Stay up till 3 in the morning writing! That's when the chapters were the best! **

**Anyways, I am hoping this chapter is good. Yeah, there may be some mistakes, I don't feel like REreading it again, my eye's are to blood shot from last night typing it. XD.**

**So enjoy. Review. Thanks.**

* * *

I was being chased by a scary screaming lady. The tunnel ahead of me was never ending. Door after door kept passing beside me on both sides of the hallway. Where was I? Why was I running from the insane lady with scissors?

I was pinned to the ground and then I was in a chair instantly. I heard snipping, frantic snipping. Why was there some strange lady cutting my hair? I had no idea what was going on.

I was spun around to face the mirror and saw the most hideous sight, my hair.

"How do you like your hair, huh?" The crazy lady with pink hair and black traced eyelids said aggressively.

I shrieked at the pink Mohawk.

I woke up with my hands on my head. I felt in terror at what I might find, but everything was the same. It had been a nightmare. Then I remembered where I was, and that dream became a fantasy.

The cold cement floor was still underneath me. I had slept off the grogginess much to my delight. But it just let me take in more reality that I really am trapped here, getting killed by them once they felt like it.

"Hi." Came a dreadful voice.

The Joker entered the room and stood in front of me.

"Don't touch me!" I warned him.

"I just wanted to talk!" He frowned.

I gave him a disgusted look. "No thanks."

"It wasn't me who brought you here you know?" He said.

"I don't care. You're supposed to be in jail!" I grumbled at him.

He walked around the room for a second and stopped in front of the door to leave.

"What a shame." He shook his head at me.

"A shame? Like you care."

"I don't care." He laughed. "Still a shame. Puts a bit of a crack in my plans."

I stood up for the first time since I was put in the room. "What plans?"

"Oh, I can't tell you about that." He opened the door a slight bit and shut it again. "No, it's a secret."

I waltzed up towards him as he eyed me in my dress. "What's your plan Clown?"

He face went expressionless.

"Why so serious?" I asked him.

He waved his finger at me. "I'm not a clown! And don't say that!"

I mocked his laugh and smiled smugly.

"I'm not a clown."

"Yeah I know, clowns are funny."

"Who said I wanted to be funny?" He pulled the door open just as I grabbed his arm and bent it behind his back and threw him on the floor. "Hey!" He yelled at me once I had fled the room.

His arms caught my waist half way down the hall. I struggled in his grip, trying to get loose. His grip tightened on my wrists. He attempted to pull me back to the room.

"You can't be seen out here!" He whispered to me.

"Why not? Doesn't everyone know I'm here?" I said loudly to contradict his whispering.

"Shh!" He ordered me.

"Let go of me!" I screamed, managing to pull myself away from him again and make a mad dash down the hall.

"Don't go down there!" He begged, chasing after me.

I didn't get why he would beg me with such desperation in his voice. I was running away, I was going to go where I wanted.

I turned the corner and stopped abruptly. The Jokers arms wrapped around me and began to swing me around to head back to the room. He stopped too because it was already too late.

"Morgan." Ryan stared at the sight before him, The Joker's arms still holding me up in the air.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE? BOTH OF YOU GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" I shrieked. "HOW DID YOU GET OUT OF JAIL? YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE LOCKED UP!"

The Joker dropped me to the ground once he got tired of my protesting.

"Morgan, come with me now!" Ryan started to walk towards me, The Joker bringing me closer towards himself.

"Ryan," he said, "Just leave this be."

"Why is she here?" He said, still heading towards us.

"They're going to kill me! Didn't you hear about that little plan?"

"What?" His face went white and he looked at The Joker. "Is that true?"

"What? That? No! Of course not!" He licked his lips. "Never!"

He stood in front of us, taking it all in. "I thought she was safe! I thought we were here for my freedom!"

"Yeah…but then you see Ryan…" He squeezed my face together in his hands. "She got in the way…we have to take care of her first."

"Don't you dare hurt her!" Ryan's breaths started getting larger.

"You couldn't take me on even if you wanted to Blondie." The Joker howled at him, breathing hoarsely in my ear.

"I could."

Bruce was standing all in black, his brown eyes piercing through the mask.

The Joker flinched up against the wall and pulled a knife out, pointing it at my neck.

"Like the good old times isn't it?" He cackled. "No oil drums here though..."

I could tell Bruce was getting angry.

"Shame for this one to go too. Why else would you come out of hiding unless you've got another girl now? Does Bruce Wayne know about you two? Seriously, you really have to start going after girls who aren't already taken, especially ones who belong to such high status people!" The Joker laughed. "And the Commissioner's daughter, gutsy move there!"

I waited for Bruce to do something, but all he did was stand there. I glanced at Ryan who was looking back and forth between us all. His eyes read, 'do something you useless piece of shit' as he starred at Batman.

Bruce took a step towards us and The Joker pressed the edge of the knife closer against my skin. The line resembling Bruce's lips thinned. The Joker edged him on, taunting him and torturing him with my life.

All of a sudden I was pulled out of The Joker's arms and Bruce jumped at him, his eyes fierce. I scrambled on my heels trying to keep my balance. Ryan kept pulling me down the hall. I was resisting him, my imagination running wild. I wasn't going off anywhere with him!

"Morgan, I'm trying to help you!" He yelled at me.

I looked over my shoulder at Bruce who was busy wrestling with The Joker. There was yelled coming from the hallway behind Bruce. Ryan gripped my arm and tugged me through a door way into a room another white room. This one was bigger, with a bar in it, for VIPs' maybe. I stopped in my spot.

"I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"Morgan, please! We need to get you safe!"

I moved my hand away when he tried to take it. "No! I don't need your help!"

"I'm sorry okay! I'm sorry for what I did!"

"You think that will erase it!"

"No, I know it won't erase it. Nothing ever will!" He reached out again for my arm. "We have to get out of here." He paused when a loud thud came from the hall way. "Please trust me Morgan!"

"No."

"Why the hell are you so difficult?" He groaned.

"Why are you so obsessive all the time?"

"I'll turn myself in if you come with me right now." Ryan pleaded with me. "They did drug test on me okay."

"What?"

"I was on drugs."

I starred at him in disbelief. I suddenly noticed his soft clean cut hair was now long, straggly and a mess. His beautiful blue eyes had no sparkle, his cheeks were sunken in and his skin was pale. Though somehow, I saw him still in there, that old Ryan.

"Please tell me that you didn't notice I was obviously acting differently? Do you seriously think I would do something like that to you? In my right mind, would I ever hurt you?" His eyes convinced me that he was telling me the truth. "I would never hurt you on purpose and I am sorry." He sighed with a quiver. "I'm really, really very sorry."

"What kind of drugs?" I asked, my eyes watering.

"Shit, mostly prescription drugs. Nothing huge…nothing huge. Haven't done them, haven't wanted to, since I realized what I did to you. I haven't stopped thinking about it. I haven't stopped hating myself for it. I just want to know that you forgive me, but I know it's not a very easy thing to forgive someone for…" Yells rang out from the hallway, getting closer to the room we were both in. "I don't expect you to forgive me." He took a deep breath after his long explanation.

"I want to forgive you, but what victim forgives the person who hurt them?"

I really wanted to forgive him, I really did. But how could I? It all made sense the drugs, the different Ryan that was there that day. He seemed abnormal the minute he stepped into my office. I hadn't thought he would do drugs to get over me. It was the past now, he had made a mistake by doing them, so why not forgive him for what he did to me while he was on them. I knew that he was a good person; I knew that was him that did that dreadful thing to me. I just wish I could make up my mind.

"Please come with me now Morgan, so I know you're safe."

"Ryan…"

"Now!" He moaned in frustration.

"Oh she's not going anywhere!"

Charles was standing behind me in the door way. I swung my head around to see him pointing a gun at me. That was just perfect.

"You seriously aren't going to shoot me are you?" I half laughed, half cried.

He was silent for a moment then he spoke. "Um…Yeah I am actually." He continued to hold to gun towards me.

"If you shoot her, I'm shooting you." Ryan's voice came from the other side of me.

I turned my head back at him to see him with a gun pointed towards Charles.

"Are you on those drugs again?" I whispered intensely at him.

He laughed while not removing his gaze with Charles. "No, I'm not on those drugs again. He's just pointing a fucking gun at you and I don't like it."

"Why don't I just shoot you first then?" Charles said and fired with out warning. "I knew you were a squealer the minute I looked at you, but actually her ex-boyfriend? Well isn't that just ironic?"

Ryan fell to the floor in a ball, his side beginning to bleed through his shirt.

"You just shot him!" I stuttered. "How could you do that?"

"It was pretty simple really, all you do is click this thing back here…put your finger on the trigger…" He stepped closer to me, the gun raised at my head level. "And then you pull it like this…"

I heard the gun go off.

But it was Charles that fell to the floor, not me…Charles fell to the floor.

Ryan panted on the floor. I heard his gun clank to against the tiling, his bloody hands gripping it. My heart pounded.

"Ryan…"

"He was going to shoot you."

"I think you killed him…" I starred at Charles frozen face.

Ryan seized in pain. "But you're alive!" He stood up weakly. "That's all that matters."

"Are you okay?" I gasped, remembering his injury.

He nodded. "Fine. Just a little gun wound. But I'll be okay." He laughed, but stopped immediately from the pain.

I caught him before he collapsed. His blood soaked through my dress. I placed him against the wall on a little bench.

"We can wait here until my father comes…then we can get you a doctor…and you'll be okay…" I blabbered on while Ryan bled all over the white room. "We need to apply pressure…pressure…yeah…that is a good idea…" I grabbed a towel from the bar and pressed again the wound. "We just have to wait till my father comes."

"Morgan…"

"Then you'll be all taken care of." I continued, ignoring his wheeze of my name.

"Morgan…"

"Hmm?"

"Nobody is coming."

"What do you mean?" I asked him confused.

"Who the hell would call the cops for help if this is one of the biggest criminal hangouts in all of Gotham City? And why would Batman bring back up? The cops are after him too." He took my hand with his blood stained one. "Nobodies coming."

I stayed crouched there in front of him, tending to his wound in silence. My eyes began to water. After all these months of hating him, now I wanted to forgive him, and he's going to die unless he gets help right away. It didn't make sense to me. It wasn't fair. He really wasn't a bad person after all. He had saved my life. I wanted to save his…I had too.

I realised when I came back from my thoughts that I was kissing him. I opened my eyes abruptly but pulled way slowly. His eyes open too finally. They had a little sparkle in them.

The Joker had snuck into the room and managed to once again hold me hostage in his arms. He lifted me off the ground and backed away from Ryan a few feet, taking a few glances at him.

"I'll go now Ryan…" I winced at my utter stupidity to not go with him when I had the chance.

"Too late honey." The Joker hissed in my ear slyly. "And what happened to you?" He asked Ryan curiously and then saw Charles lying dead on the floor. "Huh…I didn't like him anyways. Horrible personality."

"Get your hands off of her!" Bruce yelled from the door way of the white room.

"Uhh…" The Joker thought for a moment. "…no." He smiled. "How about I shoot her brains out instead?" I felt the cold tip of the gun press against my scalp, my matted hair getting tangled in it as the gun was waved around. "I like that option better."

"I said get your hands off her." Bruce repeated, as if it did any good.

"You won't kill me, what will you do?"

It was true. Bruce wouldn't kill him. Bruce couldn't do anything. The Joker wasn't scared of him, of Batman. It wasn't even just Bruce that was helpless, it was Batman. Someone was finally on to his little rule. They weren't scared of him, and he could do nothing.

I had a fucking gun to my head, and he could do nothing, Ryan was bleeding to death and had not medical attention, and nobody was coming.


	25. Editor's Letter

**Well, well, well. This is the last Chapter. :) Author's note will be at the end.**

* * *

The sight that was before me was my life replaying. I didn't want to lose her too. I knew her trying to help me would be a bad idea. But maybe I pushed her into it by not helping myself first. I shouldn't have gone into hiding. Batman should have never disappeared.

"She has nothing to do with anything." I told The Joker.

"Yes she does." He licked his lips. "She and everyone else here, know what's happening. Especially her, being daddy's little girl." He rested his cheek against Morgan's. "Isn't that right?"

"Have you heard of a shower?" She hissed at him.

He chuckled and moved his face away from hers leaving a white mark on her cheek.

"You want me, not her." I told him.

"I want to make you miserable." He pushed the gun harder against Morgan's head. "This is making you miserable."

I looked at Morgan with her head hanging down, hair falling limply across her face. She lifted it up to look at me. Her beautiful brown eyes begged me to do something.

I took my gaze off her and put it on The Joker. "I won't kill you."

"Well I know that!" The Joker sighed. "That's why I'm allowed to get away with so much stuff." He laughed. "You all are a disgrace." He tossed his head in my direction. "You…you won't kill anyone, no matter how much you want too. Ryan over there," He tilted his head toward Ryan bleeding on the floor. "Is absolutely pathetic. If he had been left in that jail alone, he'd be a bitch for sure. And you," He placed his cheek against Morgan's once again. "You are just too much trouble."

Morgan let a deep breath out through her nose. "You aren't that impressive either you know." She rolled her eyes. "Don't think so highly of yourself."

I tried to tell her to shut up with my eyes but it did no good.

"I mean…you smell bad, your hair really needs a serious root touch up, and you're not that funny, so stop laughing all the time."

"I think you should shut up. Seeing as I have a gun pointed to your head." He spit to the back of her head.

"What's going to happen? You're going to kill her, then what?" I said to him, getting frustrated.

"I may kill you, if I have too." He grinned at me.

I was really getting sick of this.

……………………………………………………………………………………………....

"I think you should kill me." The Joker said to Bruce.

"I won't kill you."

"Oh come on. Rebel a little bit." He taunted Bruce.

"You are really pissing me off." Ryan's voice came from beside The Joker.

The Joker chuckled. "I suggest you get that gun away from me right now Ryan."

"No," He wheezed. "I don't think I will."

"You won't shoot me." The Joker gave a quick glance at Charles, dead on the floor. "You can't kill me, I helped you."

"You're also pointing a gun at Morgan." Ryan gritted his teeth.

"All I have to do is stall until you pass out from lose of blood." The Joker sighed. "Though I'm more scared of you then I am of Batman over there."

"Well I guess I better shoot you quick then." Ryan kept the gun pointed at The Joker's head, his hand shaking.

"You don't need to kill him." Bruce grumbled at Ryan.

"Yes," Ryan trembled all over. "Yes I do." He began to pull the trigger. "I have to before the cops come."

"Ryan, nobodies coming remember." I said to him gently.

He smirked and dropped the bloody cell phone on the floor. "Yes they are."

I felt the air move as the bullet grazed through it. I stumbled forwards as I was released, The Joker falling to the floor. I swerved around to see sheer terror on his face, his frozen dead face. I stared at Ryan who was leaning on the counter of the bar, sweaty, and bloody.

"You…" I began just as the wall behind us all gave away in a rumble filled puff of smoke.

The smoke began to clear and I rushed over to aid Ryan. He was on the ground, gasping for air. He had cuts on his face from the explosion and bloody stained hair.

"Ryan, Ryan, Ryan!" I flustered, brushing dust and plaster off him. "You did so good, we're going to get you to a hospital, don't worry." I said to him.

I felt arms wrap around my ribs. Bruce began to pull me out of the room.

"No! Put me down! He needs help!" I protested.

He continued to drag me out and up the outside wall before the dust cleared, leaving Ryan inside with all the bodies. Once we were a few roof tops away he put me down and watched me scrambled to me feet.

"What the hell are you doing? Go back for him! Now!" I shrieked.

He said nothing, just turned and left me there alone on the roof top crying.

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**I hope you all don't hate me now. XD.**

**I'm writing a new fanfiction, it's a Harry Potter one. But...not with Harry Potter. It has vampires in it. XD. I really like it so far, I have three pages written, but i just wanted a change from thie story now. I am though, going to try and continue this Fanfiction as well. So there most likely will be a second part to it. So don't worry.**

**And yeah, The Joker's dead now. Had to have Ryan save the day.**

**And speaking about Ryan. I will be totally honest with you I hated this story. Mostly because I ended making Ryan an asshole. I LOVED Ryan. He was so sweet and everything, I liked him and Morgan together, but I wanted to get to Bruce too quickly. So I rushed it. :( I mean I loved this story, but it always bothered me about Ryan. So I had to have the little romance at the end. I really hope people can read in between lines. :) I also loved making Bruce an asshole.**

**I'm posting the first chapter of my Harry Potter fanfiction soon, so check that out if you want too as well.**

**I will start the second part of this fanfiction as soon as I get some ideas, I have some right now, but I need to expand on them first before I do anything.**

**Thanks for reading all these TWENTY FIVE chapters. XD. Woohoo! I am very proud of this story, but I hope my next ones will be better, as this one was my first one I had ever wrote.**

**Thank you. Hope you enjoyed it, and...REEEEEEEEEEEVIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW!**

**Bye.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Hello! I am back after 5 years! Wow! I just sat here and read my old batman story. I went through the reviews and everything. While I was rereading my story I really got into it and I hated the ending I wrote and was like, "WTF Melissa." So I started a sequel. I don't know if any of the old readers even use this website anymore. It would be a shame if them didn't... and they would see my addition. :( I have kind of forgotten the fanfiction lingo...so have mercy on me. SINCE THE IS A SEQUEL, I recommend reading the first story. s/4458572/1/Front-Page-Headline-Does-Gotham-Know-Batman**

**There is the link you are interested! **

**Please let me know what you think! I am trying to incorporate the recent Batman Rises movie. Thanks for reading! **

* * *

It had been 8 years since that day. When Bruce had left me on that rooftop to watch below as the smoke cleared and Gotham police rushed onto the scene. I will never forget how long I screamed from the top of the building, my throat burning. The people were like ants, franticly trying to save the anthill. I hadn't been able to help him. Ryan had just lain there slowly dying. I couldn't do anything about it. But he could have. Batman. Bruce. Whoever the hell he was.

I began to understand what he had meant when he warned me about creating a monster. He had been speaking about himself. The torment he suffered with his double life. The stress of it taking its toll on him every day, and every night. He hadn't wanted to wish this upon me. But I hadn't listened. I should have. But it was too late by then. The damaged had been done. No matter how much I think about that day, the facts will never change. Bruce had to leave. Batman would have been taken down at the scene. As the cops surrounded the Iceberg nightclub, he had no other option but to flee. Maybe he thought the police would find Ryan. Maybe he just didn't care. But that didn't make sense. I knew Bruce, the man under the mask. And even Batman knew that leaving Ryan there was wrong. He might as well have killed him, and that was against his code.

I never did see Bruce after that. After the incident, I had stayed in my house for quite some time. I thought about things a lot and tried to understand them. I needed to get my life back on track. I felt anger towards Bruce. It wasn't until a month later that I had taken time to visit his penthouse. But it was empty. No body was home. Not Bruce, and no Alfred. Wayne Enterprises was controlled and managed by hired people, and Bruce Wayne was a ghost. The Wayne Manor was gated off with limited access. Bruce did not want to be found. After no attempt from him to contact me, I decided it was time to move on. I needed to move on.

Ryan's funeral had taken place a few days after his death at the Iceberg nightclub. Few attended including his mother and father. I stood back and watched the scene. Giving my confused thanks from a distance. I had got my wish to have him dead. But I regretted it. It did not end the way I had wanted it to, as I had never imagined him winning my forgiveness, how ever small the amount was.

I usually though about the past while I scanned through fluff pieces that my reporter's wrote for me. I had taken over Ryan's Job as editor of the Gotham newspaper. My desk was messy like his was when I had first walked into his office 10 years ago. He had been right. The clutter did happen. I wonder where we would have been a decade later. Married? Kids? Nice house? But instead I had fucked it up, and he was 6 feet under ground. As for marriage, that hasn't happened yet. No kids either. I had gone back to focusing on my career, the way it should have always been.

There was a knock on my office door. I peered up from the story on the boy stuck in the vending machine. "Come in," I hollered.

"Hello," the officer greeted me. "Your father sent me here."

"Oh, hello…" I replied quizzically. "What did he need?"

"He wanted me to bring you these papers," he said politely as he handed me a folder.

I opened it up and quickly skimmed through the pages. There were detailed reports on criminals who were currently loose in Gotham. I had kept the crime section alive in the news paper and expand it to be as long as it needed to be to insure that Gotham citizens knew every wanted criminal. I smiled as I looked up from the files.

"Thank you very much, Officer…" I paused, realizing I hadn't caught his name.

He smiled. "Officer Blake miss."

"Very nice to meet you," I chimed, shaking his hand. "I'm Morgan." I placed the files on my desk in front of me. "Thank you for the files, and I will have these names in tomorrows paper! Tell me father thank you for me."

We shook hands again before he said goodbye and left my office. I had never seen him before and rendered that he must be a rookie. Though I hadn't been around the police station very often lately due to my schedule.

I opened the file folder again. Most of the criminals were thieves and drunken gamblers desperate for a buzz or shitty odds to bet on. After the Joker, all the criminals never compared. I sighed and picked up the phone.

"Could you please come to my office," I said into the receiver. I hung up and waited for my office door to open. "Come in," I called.

"You wanted to see me Miss?" asked my intern as she stood awkwardly in my doorway.

I looked up at her from the files. I laughed. "I'm don't bite. You can come closer."

She quickly shuffled towards my desk and halted a foot from the corner. I picked up the file folder the Office Blake had delivered to me from my father. She took it from me and opened it.

"I need those picked scanned and ready for print. I also want you to do the crime column for me this week. There's not much in there, just type up the facts and submit it to me by 4 o'clock." I nodded at her, "okay?"

I saw the shock and joy flash across her freckled face. She nodded brisk fully and thanked me as she left me office. I smiled as I watched her practically skip down the hall. That was an important section to write for in a city like Gotham. I just didn't have the time this week, and the criminals weren't too important.

I looked at the clock and it read 1'o clock. Seems like a good time to take my lunch. Just as I had set aside my stack of papers I had to finish editing, my phone rang.

"Oh for Christ sake," I muttered under my breath as I picked it up. "Hello, Morgan Hilroy Editor of Gotham Heights Newspaper, how may I help you?"

"Darling!" Rang the voice on the other end of the line. "How's my beautiful daughter?"

"Daddy?" I exclaimed. "What makes you call?"

"Well as you know I have an event to go to tonight," I have completely forgot, "and that's why I sent Officer Blake over with the files." He cleared his throat. "I wanted to see if you wanted to come with me to the event? Write a story on it?"

I tossed the idea around in my head. I could go for a nice evening or dressing up and free food. "Sure, where is it?" I asked him.

He hesitated. "You see…honey…that's the problem."

"What's the problem?" I questioned him.

"It's at Wayne Manor," he said.


	27. Chapter 27

Hello! :) I am very into writing this story again. So I wrote another chapter! I was up till 4 am last night writing the first. I usually like to write comedies, but currently this story isn't requiring that. Once again, this is a sequel to my other batman story that you can find on my profile. I am posting it separately, AND on my old story. The old story I wrote when I was 16 or so around the time that the dark night came out, Now 5 years later, I am writing it again to be based about Bane. I hope to began more romance soon. The old story starts off with a good plot, but my writing wasn't too awesome, not horrible though. If you read past the first few chapters you can tell I finally got into the story fully and my writing matured. Ignore my author notes...I shook my head when I read them 5 years later.

PLEASE review. Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy the story!

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Those words dug a stake right through my heart. Though I had never been to the Wayne Manor, it was the name, and the man that pushed that stake deeper and deeper. I was silent while the words filtered through my brain. Should I go for my job? There had been many parties thrown at his mansion over the years, but he never attended. Batman was still dead. Nobody at the scene had survived to tell of his brief return. But it seemed that Bruce has died as well. Though we all knew he lived, rumors went around. I often tried to ignore them.

"I…" I began. "I will let you know." And I hung up on my father.

I had sent many reporters to the different events at the Wayne Manor, always avoiding them myself. My father had been invited for a party held for law enforcement. The crime section was the one that would cover the event. That was mine specialty section. Public relations for the police must have been throwing it for the media. It would make for a good story, and that was my job. I picked up the phone and dialed my father number.

"I'll go," I told him after he had answered the phone. "He never shows up to the parties anyways."

The night was warm with a nice breeze. I quickly jogged to my car in the under ground parking lot, avoiding the stares of a few men wandering around the pillars. Craving to put the top down of my red convertible 66' Ford Mustang, I waited until I was clear of the underground. Once outside, I felt the breeze brush over my face as the top retracted. I propped my sun glassed up over my eyes and sped off down the road to my house.

I had moved from my duplex, away from the partying teenagers. I had found a nice three-bedroom house on the edge of Gotham City in a quiet neighbourhood. After my promotion to editor, I could finally afford to. Half way back to my house I drove past a farmers market. I felt my stomach rumble. Maybe some nice vegetables would be good for dinner. I slowed down and turned into the parking lot. I climbed out of my car and headed in the quaint wooden building. As I was feeling some melons, I looked across the counter. There was an old man in a nice black coat looking at apples.

"Alfred?" I gasped.

The old man looked up from the apple in his hand. He looked older and tired. A smile formed on his face as he remembered me. "Miss Hilroy! How good it is to see you!" He put down the apple in his hand and hugged me as I came around the counter towards him. "It has been too long!"

I broke away from the hug. "Yes…yes it has." I smiled weakly.

His eyes looked sad as he spoke. "Yes Miss Hilroy…a very long 8 years." He had a frown on his aged face. "Master Wayne...he…"

I interrupted him. "I don't need you to apologize for him Alfred. And neither does he. He is a big boy, and should be able to do that himself" I kissed his cheek. "I hear there is a party tonight for the police."

Alfred nodded somberly. "Yes, your father should be there."

I brushed my brown hair off my shoulder. "Yes, I heard about it from him. I may be covering the event for the paper." I saw Alfred's eyes fill with curiosity. "I am the editor now. I also take special care for the Crime section."

"I heard about Mr. Hunter's death." He frowned.

"Yes…he didn't make it. Past away on the scene." I cleared my throat. "Well I should be going, just wanted to pick up something quickly for dinner on my way home."

I gave him another hug before I headed over to the vegetable section, leaving him with his apples.

….

I grabbed my cane as I heard Alfred come into the east wing of the Manor. I hoisted myself up from the couch and limped across the large room. "Alfred?" I called. I wrapped my robe around me and continued out of the room. "Alfred?"

"Yes Master Wayne?" He asked, coming around the corner.

"When are the guests arriving?"

"In an hour sir," he informed me. "The other side of the manor is busy with final preparation."

I nodded and turned around to go back in the room. I paused and looked back at him. "What's for dinner?"

"Salmon sir," he said. "One of the maids will bring it to you."

I limped back through the doorway. "Thank you Alfred."

"Master Wayne," Alfred called after me, "I saw Miss Hilroy at the Farmer's market on Horseshoe Road today." He waited for my reaction. I kept my back to him and didn't answer. "She maybe he here tonight."

I reached for the door and shut it behind me leaving Alfred outside the room.

…..

I pulled up to the Manor gates. They were open and a line of cars filled the long road leading towards the house. I pressed the gas and drove through the gates and up the hill. At the top a valet was waiting to take my car. He opened my door and politely helped me out. I handed him my keys with uncertainty.

"Don't worry Miss, Your car is safe with me." The young man assured me.

I looked at him skeptically and nodded. I walked up onto the path as he drove away. While I walked up to the garden, I fixed my royal blue evening gown. The train of my dress was probably getting dirty as it followed me. I checked my long brown hair to make sure no hairs were out of place before I entered the party.

…

I could hear the music coming from the garden on the other side of the manor. Cars were pulling up continuously. I had seen her car being driven by the valet to the parking area.

It had been 8 years since I had last spoken to her. Leaving her on that rooftop had been a mistake. But it had been my only choice. I needed her to learn what the consequences were of her actions. Batman could have gone back for Ryan. The police were to close, and I couldn't get caught. What Morgan hadn't known was what had happened during the explosion at the Iceberg Nightclub. I had been hit with large pieces of debris. After managing to get the largest piece off my leg, I grabbed her and got to the nearest rooftop. My body wouldn't have made it back there to save Ryan and get away in time.

Since then I had never been back in the Batman suit. Batman really had died. And Bruce Wayne wasn't much better. I usually spent my days in my manor. I hadn't had any interest in managing Wayne Enterprises and so I made Mr. Fox in charge. Alfred would beg me to leave the manor, but his attempts had always failed.

I limped out onto the balcony, hiding in the shadows. I peered down on the garden. I spotted Commissioner Gordan. He was worse for wear. His hair more gray and his face thinner. His face lit up suddenly as a woman in a dark blue dress approached him. They hugged each other and she kissed him on the cheek. Her brown hair fell all the way down her back as she laughed at what Gordan was saying. I watched as Morgan spoke with her father. She turned to take an appetizer from the waiter's tray and he walked past. Her big brown eyes quickly looked around the garden. I made my way off the balcony back inside.

…..

I glanced up at the old manor. I had seen a figure in the darkness from the corner of my eye. "Excuse me Daddy," I told him. "I will be back." He nodded and headed to the bar.

I gracefully went up the manor steps into the grand hall that opened up to the garden. I smiled at a few guests as they passed. A few people saw me and began whispering to each other. I occasionally still got people asking me about Bruce Wayne, but after multiple public statements about not having spoken to him in several years, the subject died down.

I had never been in the manor before. Glancing around the room, I slipped through a door and into another. Down the hall I spotted the kitchen. The staff was running around with food and drinks. One maid was picking up a silver tray with one serving of dinner on it. She shuffled past me in the hall as I hid behind a pillar. I looked around to watch her turn to go up the stairs. I crept down the hall after her, quietly climbing the stairs. She disappeared into a room at the top of the stairs. I cross the foyer and hid behind another helpful pillar. She emerged from the room with out the tray. Once she was down the stairs I crept through the door. It opened up to another room.

…

The door opened again. "I said that was all Rita," I said as I limped towards my dinner. After getting no response I looked up to shoo her out of the room.

"Bruce…" she said as she stood there, taking in my appearance.

I steadied my balance with my cane after the shock hit me.


	28. Chapter 28

**School break! I took a few days off from doing any kind of writing, as much of my college program involved it. But I am back! :) Please read the first story as this story is a sequel. I post these chapters as a new story and in the old story. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and favourited me and my stories. It is greatly appreciated, and keep it up! **

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I didn't say a word, as she looked me over. I could tell both of us didn't know what to do or say. I knew I couldn't expect her to forgive me, and I couldn't expect her to even stay in this room another second. But she didn't budge. Her hands hung by her sides, her eyes firmly planted on me. I flickered my gaze away from hers and focused on my dinner resting on the table. I began limping closer to the platter. I spotted my morphed reflection on the silver lid. What looked back at me was a straggly haired, unshaved face with dark circles. A lesser version of the Bruce she had loved.

"Sorry if I am interrupting your dinner," she said, breaking the silence. "I shouldn't have come here."

I glanced up as she spoke to see her turning to leave the room. I tried to speak but my voice wouldn't work. I continued to hesitate as she disappeared through the double doors.

…

"Daddy," I whispered from behind him. "I'm heading home."

"So soon?" He looked concerned as he got a better look at my face. "What's the matter?"

I kissed him on the cheek and forced a smile. "Nothing you need to worry yourself about," I concluded with fake confidence.

He nodded slowly and glanced towards the mansion. "If you say so Morgan. Drive save, it's late. Put the top up."

I gave a snort of a laugh and hugged him. "Yes Daddy, of course."

…

"Master Wayne?" Alfred said, surprised. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing Alfred?" I raised an eyebrow as I carefully put on a dress shirt.

He stayed silent as he watched me before answering. "It looks to me as you are getting dressed in something a little different then your usual pajamas Sir."

I chuckled and nodded. I grabbed my cane and limped my way over to where he was standing. "Excuse me Alfred, I must get to the door." He looked at me in shock. "I'm going to the doctors office."

"Sir, the doctor can come here to the manor if you wish," he told me.

I shook my head. "No Alfred, I will drive myself."

…

Eight years and he couldn't say one word. I thought back to the first time I had met him, and the times following. He never had shut up and I hated him for it, and now I hated him for not speaking. What had happened to him? He looked nothing like the man I had dated. But eight years is a long time. Maybe I hadn't realized that. Maybe I had been thinking he was off in another country with a new girl, maybe even married. But the Bruce that I had seen was far from anything I had pictured in my head after eight years. Maybe it made sense why he did not speak. He gave off the appearance that he didn't do much in the way of anything. He definitely wasn't doing well.

Maybe it had been wrong to leave so quickly. I could have stayed and he would have eventually said something. But instead I had run off. I had moved on and didn't want to go backwards. The thought of going back to where I had been the few weeks after being left on the roof eight years ago, terrified me. And besides, the man in that room had not been the Bruce I had known.

…

"Not good Mr. Wayne. Like I said before, severe permanent damage," the doctor exclaimed as he showed me the x-rays. "I don't see it getting better any time soon, if ever."

My lips pierced together to form a thin line on my face. I nodded and shook his hand as I slowly made my way out of his office. It had been the same answer as always. My leg never fully recovered over the past eight years. I threw my cane into the passenger seat of my Lamborghini and lowered myself into the drivers seat. It felt good to be driving a car again, even if one leg hurt while doing it.

…...

There's nothing like a good cup of coffee to wake me up after lunch. I needed it before I leafed through stories on my desk. I sipped it carefully, trying not to burn my mouth as I strolled down to my office.

"Morgan!" Someone yelled.

"I'm busy," I hollered back. "Talk to me later."

"But Miss!" They continued as I stopped in front of my office door. "There's someone-"

"In a little while please!" I interrupted as I brisk fully escaped into my office. "Bruce!" I shrieked, almost loosing grasp of my coffee.

He was sitting behind my desk, in my chair, with his feet up on my desk, his cane resting on his lap. I stared at his cleanly shaven face as he stared back. After a few moments I gestured him to explain his presence.

"I was waiting for you to tell me to get my god damn ass out of your damn chair," he finally spoke.

I held back a smirk and put my coffee down on my desk. "Well then, will you get out of my god damn chair please?"

"Only because you said please this time," he said while heaving himself off the seat. "Learning your manners after eight years I see."

"Where the hell did you go?" I spat at him.

He froze, all expression disappearing from his face. He breathed out his nose and nodded his head sincerely. "That's a valid question."

I walked around the desk so that I was face to face with him. He looked up from the ground and adjusted his stance with his cane.

"I'm sorry I left you there and that I didn't get Ryan. But I couldn't go back for him," he began while he watched my eyes weld up with tears. "I just couldn't."

"You're fucking Batman Bruce." I choked back tears angrily. "You could have!"

"Fucking look at me Morgan." He shook his cane. "I am not Batman anymore. You're lucky I even got you out of there. And the fact is, if I had even been able to physically make it to Ryan, I would have been arrested because, yes, I was Batman."

We were both angry now and my tears began to blur my vision. I hadn't known about his injury. And even though I had thought of all the reasoning, none of that rational thinking filled my brain right now. I had never factored in that maybe he had gotten hurt.

"I was already damaged Morgan," Bruce continued. "And this will never get better."

All I could do was try and fight back more tears of frustration. I managed to nod so Bruce would know I understood and accepted his reasoning. But the one thing I didn't understand was why he had left me.

"But why leave me there? Why run away for eight years with no contact?" I hit him in the chest and watched him sway from the force. "How could you do that?"

"I should have contacted you. But I am just used to disappearing. I was in the hospital for a while, and in the time they moved everything back into the manor. After that…after that I just didn't think anything I could say would make a difference." His hair was falling across his eyes. "All I can say is I was wrong. I was mad at you for what you had done to get yourself in that mess, and I acted upon that rage. And I am sorry."

My crying breaths fell silent at his words. "I did do a very stupid thing that night."

"You went behind my back. I had no idea where you were!" Bruce lectured. "You were not ready! We had made a deal."

"I'm sorry too then," I apologized. "I'm sorry too."

We stood there in my office with out saying a word. All our questions had been answered about that night eight years ago. All but one, as I still didn't know what had happened to Bruce's leg. I pointed to the chair in front of my desk and he sat down. I took my seat across from him. And he proceeded to tell me what had happened during the explosion at the nightclub. He filled in my memory with the gaps that had been left due to the fear and shock of the blast. I sat there in silence as he calmly told me all about the damage to his joints in his knee and the slim chance he had to regain full use of it.

"So there is no chance of ever being Batman again?" I asked him.

He sighed, "All I can and want to be right now is the Bruce Wayne you fell in love with."


End file.
